November 16, 2010

Busway cost is higher than anticipated

The projected cost of the busway between Hartford and New Britain doesn’t include the tab for two new bridges that are vital to the $573 million plan.
Though rebuilding the Cedar Street bridge in Newington will add only $2.5 million to the tab, a plan to put a new bridge over the busway and rail lines at Flatbush Avenue in West Hartford may add another $45 million to the bottom line, according to the engineers overseeing the busway project.
Counting the bridges, which are linked to the project but carried separately on the state Department of Transportation’s books, the 9.4-mile busway’s cost to taxpayers could exceed $615 million.
At a Tuesday morning hearing in West Hartford, transportation officials said they are plunging forward with the busway plan. They said the first bids, for utility work, will be opened in January and construction should be underway in April.
“It’s full steam ahead until we’re told otherwise,” said Richard Armstrong, the principal engineer on the project. A link to the full story will be posted when it is available.

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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

12 comments:

kill it said...

Interesting Steve. Is that the freight line?

The bus-way is the most stupid endeavor I've ever seen the State of Connecticut involved in. And there is a long list of such.

What a myopic waste of money.

Anonymous said...

Steve:

Please keep us informed as to where there are organized groups or events in opposition to this bus-way.

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

THis project MUST be stopped dead in the minds of those who do not get it...now it is going to cost taxpayers an additional $48 million??? WTF

Anonymous said...

And the Nicastro plan won't come in higher than projected??

Gimme a break!

Anonymous said...

Steve lets tale about coverups in TOWN HALL like POLICE DEPT and Main st screwups.

Anonymous said...

The problem is that the Nicastro plan is not even begun and is ten years from seeing any money set aside- the busway has already been on the table , is ready to go and has funds set aside- if it is stopped now , the state of Ct will own the feds about 50 million and will never get a dollar for future projects after wasting this much time and money

Anonymous said...

Nicastro is looking ahead to when he is mayor

Nicastro fan said...

November 18, 2010 10:37 AM:

Wishful thinking (on my part). Mike Nicastro would be a 10x better mayor than Frank, Leone, Stortz, and Ward combined.

no shock said...

12:21 - all that you have to do is ask him.

Anonymous said...

12;21

Be careful of what you wish for.

Anonymous said...

November 19, 2010 10:21 AM

Ha Ha...that's true. But what do I know? I voted for Ken Johnson.

Ben said...

The whole plan seems to be a big waste of money.
Did anybody calculate the cost per rider?
We should be moving towards a mass transit infastructure. Is this really the solution?