Passenger Trains > CA HSR - Phase two winning bid under budget

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/12/11/team-chosen-for-second-phase-of-high-speed-rail/

"The California High-Speed Rail Authority said Thursday that the low bid for the 65-mile segment was $1.2 billion.
That’s below the projected cost of between $1.5 billion and $2 billion."

"The new segment includes about 36 grade separations in Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties, including underpasses and overpasses.
It runs from Fresno to one mile north of the Kern-Tulare County line."

And from the High Speed Rail Blog, the winning bid was....

wait for it...


$1,234,567,890.

"That's the same combination on my luggage!"

Movie quote,which one?

Jim Montague
IRVINE, CA
Train and Nature photo Art

Spaceballs the High Speed Rail Contract!

Cheers,
Nick

Posted from iPhone

Two comments:
1. Should it bother anyone that this boondoggle (my feelings) is being bid in segments and could be awarded to a different bidder each time? Shouldn't one bidder be responsible for the whole project?

2. 1234567890? That's the #1 bank PIN in the US.

Having worked government contracts, things this big a rarely completed by a single bidder. They're simply too big. When they start building large bridges and tunnels, those will rightfully be contracted to firms specializing in building those things. As for boondoggle, just to expand the (seven) airports for San Fransisco to LA traffic growth will cost almost as much as HSR.

Cheers,
Nick

Posted from iPhone

And along with taking pressure off of airport expansions, it will allow alternative fuel choices (hydro, solar, wind, geothermal, nuclear), of which there aren't any for jets at this time, just fossil.

I don't consider this a boondoggle, I am looking forward to more travel choices. Cheap oil will not be here forever, better to use this time to get alternatives ready for the next spike, which is usually higher then the last.

Jim Montague
IRVINE, CA
Train and Nature photo Art

Having one contractor is often a plus, if they choose their subcontractors wisely and manage effectively.

The first HSR section has a lead contractor of Tutor/Perini. Among their achievements was the Big Dig in Boston. The initial "winning estimate" on that job turned out to be a bit lower than the final price.

Government contracting often works in phases. You need to bid and hit the specs.
The agency revises and changes the specs, so the price changes
You have to add favored parties like relatives or community activists (like the Englewood Flyover)
Parts of the approved project are pushed back into phase 2 as unexpected costs come into the work

Work is completed, project is accepted, final costs are different from what was in the spec from five years ago
Everybody moves on

NGotwalt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As for boondoggle, just to expand the
> (seven) airports for San Fransisco to LA traffic
> growth will cost almost as much as HSR.


That's sounds like a bogus talking point, where the originator wildly manipulated assumptions and estimates to stack the deck in favor of a predetermined outcome, and the media and activists quickly adopt as mantra without fact checking.

Incredible!!...More 'smoke and mirrors'..stay tuned in the future...

I agree cheap gas won't be around forever, but for those of us in California, we'll be paying off these bonds for our lifetimes and those of our children and grandchildren too.

Posted from iPhone

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

Posted from Android

Let's build it... ALL ABOARD!!!!!!!!!!!!