The Most Expensive Mile of Subway Track on Earth

NY Times ^ | December 28, 2017 | Brian M. Rosenthal

[C19fan]

An accountant discovered the discrepancy while reviewing the budget for new train platforms under Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. The budget showed that 900 workers were being paid to dig caverns for the platforms as part of a 3.5-mile tunnel connecting the historic station to the Long Island Rail Road. But the accountant could only identify about 700 jobs that needed to be done, according to three project supervisors. Officials could not find any reason for the other 200 people to be there. Show Full Article

[C19fan]

Major European cities spend around $350 MM for each mile of subway. Costs are in the billions per mile in NYC. Albeit very often one has to tunnel through granite under Manhattan but this is due to how dysfunctional and corrupt NYC is. I remember growing up in the NYC metro area the old elevated highway running down the Hudson side of Manhattan was demolished. The initial rebuild of the surface road had to be torn apart and restarted because the mob infected contractors used inferior concrete.

[Wolfie]

[littleharbour]

The socialist clowns who run Toronto will be building a 4 mile extension to the East-West subway line at an estimated cost of $3.5 to $5 Billion to create - 1 Stop! It will replace an above ground light rail system that had more stops and was accessible to more people. You can guarantee it will take longer and cost far more than the $5 Billion high estimate.

The most recent extension (5 miles - 6 stops) cost over $4 Billion and was over 3 years late (more than 10 years in total!). Everything government touched is over budget and late.

[Noumenon]

Remember - socialism works. For those in charge.

[SES1066]

Graft? In New York City?! Tell me it ain’t so, de Blasio! Real presidential timber there!

[Drango]

Hard to believe this in the NYTimes, but good on them.

[Texas Eagle]

Discrepancy! You gotta love the Fake News Media.

[Hoosier-Daddy]

Ghost workers. De riguer in a city run by the mob and unions, but I repeat myself.

[Nicojones]

Union feather bedding at its best. The results of a perfect union between the democrat machine and their union allies. Unfortunately, this is all too common in the leftist blue states and the voters don’t seem to care as long as they take the right positions on leftist social issues.

[dhs12345]

How much did the Big Dig cost? 15 Billion?

[dhs12345]

The Big Dig cost 24 Billion....

http://legacy.wbur.org/2012/07/12/7-things-that-cost-less-than-the-big-dig

A Massachusetts state official announced Wednesday that the total cost of the Big Dig, also known as the Central artery/Tunnel Project, is estimated at $24.3 billion, making it the most expensive highway project in U.S. history. Jul 12, 2012

[sphinx]

The root of the problem is the availability of state and federal money. Let NYC pay for its own subways and roads. New Yorkers would then walk to work unless/until they voted in and sustained honest and effective government, or emigrate to some other jurisdiction that has honest and effective government. But New Yorkers prefer to vote for the party of graft and corruption, which then works to nationalize infrastructure investment to shift the costs elsewhere.

[G Larry]

What about Boston’s “big dig”?

This is what happens when the MOB finds a treasure chest to enrich their union bosses, before sending the Dem’s their cut for sponsoring the fraud.

[BobL]

With the possible exception of maybe NYC, there’s not even any reason to build ‘mass transit’ anymore, as self-driving cars will totally end any demand for tracked vehicles...and likely within 20 years. It’s crazy to be spending money on this crap now that it has no future.

[IronJack]

Has anyone run a similar audit on the Big Dig in Boston? The only city more corrupt than New York?

[Robert A Cook PE]

How many feet (it is not even two miles) is Boston’s Big Dig? 24 billion divided by how many democrat politicians = Price per permit.

[dhs12345]

How true!