[Olog-hai]

Funny how “low bid” results in the highest per-mile costs in history. This has been happening a lot in NJ. With all due respect, who are you trying to kid? This is not an urban area; this is on a peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay, very suburban and was once rural. And even the “urban area” excuse falls flat in the face of contractors being paid to not work.

There is more detail at the Asbury Park Press writeup. None of the costs are actually related to rebuilding the portion of roadwday to withstand another hurricane, but for work stoppages, and also extraneous nonsense (some of which the federal micromanagers ordered) such as dedicated bike lanes and sidewalks.

[kearnyirish2]

Don’t forget the affirmative action tokens (required to get the bid) that stand in a line waving traffic flags while the real men do the actual work; gotta pay for the re-distribution angle as well!

[Rumplemeyer]

I am a New Jersey contractor, my family has been building roads in this state since 1880, it began with my great, grand father Joseph B. Murphy.

I am interested in knowing which of all you critics are contractors, have seen the contract documents and the schedule mandated by those documents based on the demands of the towns and voters in that area.

The cost of labor is mandated by the Federal Government, not the State.

The “Mob” references illustrate you lack of knowledge and that you watch too much TV.

The Asbury Park Press is a far left liberal rag, that is dedicated to blaming all things on Chris Christie and the Republicans. It would not know the truth if it bit them in the ass.

Cost is relative, inflation drives the cost up every year. At one time Interstate highway cost per mile was $1,000,000 per mile, in the mid 1960’s.

Your observation that is “suburban”, go the in the height of the summer beach season, it is very urban and was so before the rebuilding.

Finally, are you a contractor, do you know how to estimate a job like this, no it is not the “right” unit prices, how to develop costs, do you understand the schedule and maintenance of traffic requirements, do you have engineers, superintendents, foremen and craft labor you have trained on your payroll. Do you have the credit lines to finance the work and do you have the equipment and plant to do the work.

What will you do with the project management when the contract mandates you not interrupt beach traffic and you cannot work?

You think “low bidder” is too expensive, how would you do it? Low Bidder is the cheapest method.

An other question, what would you do when you encounter conditions not shown or addressed in the documents that cost you more than you more money and TIME?

Let me know when you have your name, reputation, assets and butt on the line, what you would do.

And by the way, I don’t kid.