and the streets were paved with 
Posted on 05/08/2016 7:03:44 AM PDT by Olog-hai
The reconstruction of Sandy-battered Route 35 is soaking New Jersey taxpayers with tens of millions of dollars in cost overruns, an Asbury Park Press investigation reveals.
The newspaper found that the project, announced by Gov. Chris Christie in 2013, is already $76 million over budget and a year behind schedule. The potential final cost of $341 million means that the 12.5-mile road construction in Ocean County will cost a jaw-dropping $27.3 million per mile — making it one of the most expensive road projects in the state.
The Asbury Park Press, which called the project a “boondoggle,” found that the state paid about $24.5 million to have three contractors essentially stop working during design and summer delays. …
(Excerpt) Read more at nj1015.com ...
CT built a BUSWAY for fifty million dollars a mile. NJ is slacking.
How’s them regulations and unions working out for Ya, Joiseyites?
That is a cost of $5170.45 PER FOOT!!!!
No wonder taxpayers are tired of being jerked around.
The previous road was a joke - pavement over sand. It runs through an area where the decision to build in the first place was highly questionable. Lowest ground and one of the last areas of the Monmouth County shore to be developed. Major naveau an riche area. Wet kiss with Obama allowed the expenditure to happen. There are unfriendliness at the trough gunning for Christie. Not as simple as everyone who has posted so far makes it out to be.
and the streets were paved with
The former Philadelphia & Long Branch RR ran through there without incident until it was torn up and had the southbound lanes of NJ 35 built over it. Assuming another storm like Sandy hits the exact same area, the only thing that would be left is the rebuilt roadway, and that’s cost overruns notwithstanding, remember.
This article is for all those people who didn’t understand why Donald Trump had to use a concrete pouring firm with mafia ties when he built a big building in New Jersey. You’ve never seen so many pockets to be lined as in New Jersey and Philly. I think they are both worse than New York when it comes to graft.
You gotta problem with that?
I always joke with my wife that I'd love to have the orange barrel concession.
That’s exactly right!
Same here.
You can drive for 20 miles sometimes with one lane closed off and no sign whatsoever of human activity.
One of those deep dark secrets of gubmint life.
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.
So you approve of all of the state micromanagement and corruption, then. After all, you’re excusing it. Did the APP get the figures wrong? Those are independent from how they may feel about RINO Christie. Was there really an excuse to pay contractors to not work? The feds didn’t mandate that, FWICS.
The state of NJ did not take a dime from the feds when they (re)built the so-called “River Line” from Trenton to Camden. And that was $32 million per mile (or $6,061 per foot) to put light rail on a pre-existing railroad. Thanks to the “proof-of-payment” fare system, the trains only cover seven percent of operating costs with fare revenue. Like I said, this is nothing new for NJ. I once lived in the state, in a city infamous for “pay to play”, so excusing the RINOs makes one look like part of the left-wing system, with all due respect.
Be clear on something, I don’t make the rules I just follow them.
The DOT made up the schedule for the project and set the work hours and the days no work could be done to accommodate the summer season.
No job is without changes in scope and unforeseen conditions such as unknown utilities, old foundations and abandoned facilities long forgotten. Unfortunately correcting them takes time and money. One of the biggest hold ups is getting the Power Company and the Phone Company to move their poles, it can take months, they work at their own speed.
I agree with you 1000% about the micromanaging by the Feds and the EPA and all the other alphabet agencies, both local and federal.
Do you know that you cannot prune, trim or remove trees during nesting season, no I am not pulling your leg.
I am only telling you the realality of being the contractor doing the work. Yes it is a mess.
As for the South Jersey Light Rail, I stayed as far away from that as I could. I did do the power and communications utilities for the Hudson Bergan Light Rail in Hudson County.
Remember, all public transit is subsidized.
I am working a job in Florida. 3 miles. 90 million projected estimate. No unions. Straight bid.
So, thanks for letting us know you have no experience in contracting.
That number isn't unreasonable if there are no utilities, traffic or restricted hours to deal with. In other word, a job that never happens.
How many lanes, and how wide of a footprint?
When you call 3 different concrete companies in NYC, the same person answers for all 3.
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