[Psycho_Bunny]

Government. Incompetence amok.

[relee]

... could cost as much as $1.3 billion more than original estimates ...

Unexpected, no doubt.

[eclecticEel]

$3.5 - 4 b, and all you get is 11 1/2 measly miles of track?

[BuckyKat]

I hope somebody in Hawaii’s government sees this. And if it supposedly costs that much extra in DC, you can bet it will be double what they claim and you can probably bet on a factor of 10 here on Oahu.

[lurk]

Well that’s never happened before.

Union Yes, eh?

[Boogieman]

IBWG.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

The first phase is costing $2.75 billion, the authority said. Early estimates had placed costs of the second phase in the same range. The new price range increases the cost by at least $690 million and potentially twice as much...

So that's $4.1 billion for the second phase ($2.75 billion plus 2 x $690 million).

The second phase of the project, covering 11 1/2 miles and six stations

So that's about $360 million PER MILE. Yeah, that's a good use of funds!

I wonder what Willie Green would say? The last light rail system built in the US - Seattle's Link - was $180 million per mile. Now this is at $360 million per mile. And Willie wants to deploy tens of thousands of miles of high speed rail lines in the US? A network of 20,000 miles (2 transcontinental lines and a half-dozen N/S and long spurs) would cost $3.6 to $7.2 TRILLION. Just for the lines.

Hey Willie, those numbers sound about right?

[maddog55]

Every time I get or do a cost estimate for the government I take what it should cost and multiply it by 2.5 and it usually comes out pretty close.

[meyer]

Toll road funds are expected to cover nearly 53 percent of the entire project's costs.

WTH??? Shouldn't the cost of the railroad project be borne solely by those using the train? If highway tolls are collected, they should be used for highway construction and maintenance ONLY!

[bmwcyle]

This is the new line. The real traffic problem is on this map. The real problem is the one bridge across the river on I495 on the right of this map. This is a waste of money if they think will will improve traffic.

[Republic of Texas]

Where’s Willie Green?

[mo]

they’re merely becoming brazen in their theiving at this point...just like a 3rd world kleptocracy.

We the People are gonna need to get ugly...

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

The second part of Metrorail's extension from Falls Church to Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County could cost as much as $1.3 billion more than original estimates, which may mean higher rates for people who use the Dulles Toll Road.

Typical choo-choo pusher mentality: make the toll road users pay for the overruns, rather than the eventual rail passengers.