Airport Station = Expensive!

This post originally appeared on Orphan Road.

We learned back in March that the Airport Link station was going to cost about twice what Sound Transit had estimated. After receiving just one bid from Mowat, the agency went back to the drawing boards.

Now, in the interest of keeping things moving, Mowat has been contracted to build the basic parts of the structure, while ST redesigns the rest:

In hopes of putting a costly airport light-rail station back on track, Sound Transit’s governing board Thursday approved a $35.8 million deal for Mowat Construction to begin work this fall.

Back in March, Mowat was the sole bidder — at $95.3 million, or $43.5 million above the agency’s estimate of $51.8 million. In response, Sound Transit has broken the project into multiple parts. Mowat will sign a reduced contract to build the station’s concrete structure and tracks. Several details, such as glass walls and pedestrian bridges, will be redesigned to save money.

Hmm… $35.8M to build the “structure and tracks.” That sure sounds like the bulk of the work. Does that mean the “glass walls and pedestrian bridges” were going to cost $95.3M minus $35.8M, or $59.5 million?