Comments on: First Major U-Link Contract on the Cheap

By: Times Prints Anti-Transit Drivel Once Again - Seattle Transit Blog

Times Prints Anti-Transit Drivel Once Again - Seattle Transit Blog — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:37:02 +0000

[...] he goes on to talk about rising costs. Rising like those bids we’ve seen come in 20-30% under [...]

By: Sewage experts to Colwood: “Screw you” | Corey Burger

Sewage experts to Colwood: “Screw you” | Corey Burger — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:42:06 +0000

[...] all estimates, especially those made around the middle of 2008 are totally suspect. For instance the bid for a piece of the University Link Light Rail in Seattle was 34% under estimates, a bid made in December [...]

By: UW to CHS Tunnels Cost $95mn Less than Planned - Seattle Transit Blog

UW to CHS Tunnels Cost $95mn Less than Planned - Seattle Transit Blog — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 22:10:37 +0000

[...] component of the University Link project. That project’s first construction contract came in $10 million under estimates last [...]

By: Sound Transit Reports $2.1 Billion Gap for ST2 - Seattle Transit Blog

Sound Transit Reports $2.1 Billion Gap for ST2 - Seattle Transit Blog — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 23:43:51 +0000

[...] projects.” Earlier this year a contract was awarded for light rail to the U District that fell 34% below ST’s estimates. The poor economy has also dampened the effects of inflation that had [...]

By: Oran V

Oran V — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:10:01 +0000

They could set up a Downtown Bellevue Local Improvement District although that requires majority approval of property owners. I’m not sure how Kemper Freeman would react to that or would he push for a combined bus-light rail tunnel?

By: Chris Stefan

Chris Stefan — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:09:28 +0000

I’m not really sure what to do about the ferry situation. The ferry system is going to have to buy a fair number of new boats over the next 15 years in order to avoid too many 50+ year old ferries in the fleet. Unfortunately the funding is only really there for maybe 4 or even 3 boats, especially considering the very high bids the ferry system has been receiving recently.

The main reason the 144 ferries haven’t been built yet is due to a lawsuit by the shipyards who didn’t get the contract when the WSF tried to bid it a number of years ago. Given that I’m somewhat shocked Todd was the only shipbuilder who bothered to bid on the Island Home contract (they also won the initial award, which was later pulled, for the 144 ferries).

WSF would find many more qualified bids for ferry contracts if there wasn’t a requirement in state law for WSF vessels to be built in Washington State. I like the idea of supporting Washington businesses and employment with government contracts however not at the expense of taxpayers or users of the Ferry System.

By: DJStroky

DJStroky — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:37:08 +0000

Sound Transit has gots lots to spend. Now is the time for contractors to make good relationships for future ST projects. I remember a similar thing happening with WSF when they only got one highly overpriced bid for their one ferry. The shipping industry was hoping for more like 20 ships or something.

By: Zach

Zach — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:57:13 +0000

Materials cost should plummet as well…

By: ericn

ericn — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:27:55 +0000

I’ve heard that the Bellevue city government is working on this.

By: abjectfunk

abjectfunk — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:12:52 +0000

I’m pretty sure you mean the contract was rewarded, not retarded

By: alexjonlin

alexjonlin — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:27:38 +0000

I hope that means we’ll have enough left over from that and Central Link to cover the tunnel through downtown Bellevue… I just got an email update saying ST2 only has enough money for elevated or at-grade, and that funding for a tunnel would have to come from somewhere else.

By: Matt the Engineer

Matt the Engineer — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:07:45 +0000

“What remains to be seen is how Obama’s upcoming infrastructure plan will affect demand of contractors capable of major projects, such as light rail expansion.”

Although it will certainly affect prices, unless the funding is at a level that rivals commercial construction in the past few years (unlikely, unless this somehow becomes a WWII style effort) then we’ll still see some drop in costs.

By: Adam P

Adam P — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:46:44 +0000

With the global and local slowdown in construction the materials and labor needed for a lot of ST2 projects is going to be much cheaper than estimated. We should get use to project bids coming in significantly under what was budgeted.

This is one reason ST should try to get their projects out sooner rather than later.