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Old Posted Apr 10, 2015, 5:40 AM
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electricron electricron is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Granbury, Texas
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Randomguy34 View Post
P.S. Why is it that it's extremely pricey to build subway and el lines nowadays? Yes I do realize that part of it is that we are paying workers a fair wage now, land prices have gone up, and the obvious factor of inflation. However, I'm not convinced that these together are the main reasons. Is it ROW? Environment studies? NIMBY protests? I would like it if someone could give a comprehensive reason behind this.
The prices for building and operating transit systems have gone up in direct proportion to the amount of cash the Feds, States, and Local agencies are willing to pay.

Because there is revenue sharing for many of these projects, with a 50% Federal share, the budget gets broken just every time because of the windfall from above. The only transit projects coming in on time, on budget, and with limited purposes are those projects not getting any Federal funds. Here's a few examples, SMART, DCTA, CapMetroRail, Northstar, and Music City Star are just the most recent examples. There's examples from the Pacific Northwest, California, Texas, the Deep South and the MidWest. I don't know of any recently really coming in on budget that had received any significant Federal grants.

Maybe that's what's wrong, too much easy money?
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