The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
Installation of track for Norfolk's $338 million starter light-rail line is running 35 to 40 days ahead of its revised schedule, the City Council was told Tuesday.
"Knock on wood, we'll stay on track," Hampton Roads Transit president and CEO Philip Shucet said.
The project has been plagued by schedule delays and cost overruns over the past year or so.
Among the first actions Shucet took after assuming leadership of the transit agency last month was to negotiate a guaranteed contract with Skanska, which is building the rail line. That contract includes financial incentives for finishing early and penalties for coming in late.
The contract establishes the finish date as July 17. Other work, including building stations and installing overhead electric wires, will continue through the year.
One task scheduled to start later this week - extending the track across Charlotte Street at the intersection of Granby Street - presents the most risk for slowing the schedule, said Don Lint, HRT's light-rail construction manager. At the nearby Duke and Bute street intersection, he said, crews found abandoned water and sewer lines dating to 1886.
Overall, construction of the 7.4-mile light-rail line is a year and a half
behind schedule and $106 million over budget. HRT's former chief, Michael Townes, resigned under pressure in January and Shucet took over Feb. 1. The Tide is now scheduled to begin operating in May 2011.
Shucet said the agency is working on an "exhaustive summary" of cost increases and a financial plan for finishing the project, which are due to the Federal Transit Administration next month. The FTA has withheld $26.8 million in federal money approved for the project until it gets assurances about project spending and financial stability.
HRT needs for the FTA to release those funds in April so the agency can continue to pay the bills. Much of the work on the financial plan was originally to be done by a consultant for $300,000, but Shucet canceled that contract.
HRT has financial commitments totaling $308 million. Shucet said the agency is working to identify money from other federal and state sources.
Norfolk, however, is ultimately responsible for any funding gaps.
Debbie Messina, (757)446-2588, debbie.messina@pilotonline.com
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Great - Can Vdot fix the light on Colley and Brambleton
So the traffic stops backing up into the mid-town tunnel?
Can't wait for the train to no where so we can't get through the tunnel at all.
Exceptional work Norfolk - NOT!
the cancer is metastasisizing
"That contract includes financial incentives for finishing early and penalties for coming in late."
Phil is going to make this happen for Norfolk, no matter what the citizens need.
Let's complete the infrastructure to this taxpayer black hole so we can start that larger monetary subsidy to HRT to hire transit cops 24/7 and maintain the "fleet" of light rail cars into the future. And definitely get VB to pony up money so we in Norfolk do not bare the burden of this waste.
What I'd really like to see is M. Townes giving a report to the board on what he is doing for his salary this week. Sweet gig huh Mr. Townes? Still at HRT makin' the big bucks. Most taxpayers mistakenly think you are gone. Jokes on those fools though.
Keep your wallets open Norfolk taxpayer. If VB gets the cancer, they will help subsidize LRT at HRT forever too.
Saving Time--Saving Money
I'm glad to see that someone is saving us time and now saving us money. Sure is nice to have someone "On Board" in more ways than one. Want to run for Mayor? Now to the idiot that has to make a comment on the time line for running the article, don't rush until you get all the facts straight, something you should look into. Like my Grandmother would always say when things were going wrong or if you needed to take in a breath, may she rest in peace, "Have a piece of fruit", I think you need an orchard.
Earlier this article was dated Jan. 1, 2010
I witnessed that during the late afternoon of Tuesday, March 20, 2010, this article was posted at pilotonline.com and it was then dated Jan. 1, 2010. Later, that same day, it was retracted by someone at the Pilot. However, I had already bookmarked it in my browser and could still access it when it was dated Jan. 1, 2010 (but initially posted on Mar. 30, 2010).
Later, someone at the Pilot apparently subsequently corrected that error and changed the date from Jan. 1, 2010 to Mar. 31, 2010 then re-posted it today.
Yesterday's news today!
I'm still trying to figure out why newspaper circulation is declining and newspapers are shutting down...
Oh!, my friends......FOCUS!!!
Stop the bitter racial overtones for a few minutes and read the story again. It isn't about thugs coming to VB. We have plenty of our own. It's ALWAYS about money! They need to show how great they are doing in order to get the money from the feds. That is the crux of this story. “Look how great were doing now...we’re only 1 year and 4 months over schedule.” I must admit were getting our 14K a month out of the new manager though...LOL
Standing by for thumbs down...
JUVENILE THUGS COMING TO THE BEACH ON THE GREEKFEST EXPRESS?
You are ignoring reality that doesn't fit your liberal world view. You Marxists need to stop the name calling too.
Extending light rail into VA Beach would be a colossal mistake of super-sized proportions!
Rail fares would only cover a tiny petite fraction of the annual cost of operating it each year. Fares wouldn't cover the building costs at all. Guess whose taxes pay for that federal money?
You lefties just don't get it.
Well, do you leftie?
Socialism and excessive debt destroys economies and governments. Look at the former USSR.
Just say No to wasting taxpayer money on the unneeded albatross in VA Beach. Limited government and free enterprise is the way to go. Socialism always fails.
There is enough crime in VA Beach already. We don't need to import more juvenile thugs from Norfolk. Over 500 rioters were arrested during the infamous VA Beach Greekfest riots. They even stole beer and cigarettes!
The Greekfest Express - "It'll get you back to Greekfest in a jiffy!"
Socialism and excessive debt destroys economies and governments
Last year the Fed spent $69.116 Billion on our nation's highways. Of that amount, $34.5 Billion or 50% was not paid for by the users of the highways via fuel taxes. Instead it was either borrowed or it came out of the General fund.
Which do you think is going to drive us into debt faster, $34.5 Billion a year or a light rail system that will require a few million a year to keep it running?
I must assume from your tirade...
that you replied to the wrong person. I'm just slightly to the right of Ayn Rand (author of “Atlas shrugged”)...LOL.
I agree that the Light Rail is a colossal waste of money that will strap the entire area with a tax burden that will never be removed short of getting rid of it.
Greek fest was a mess. However, there was no light rail when it happened.
My point was, you convince no one that your point has a logical conclusion when you name call or slip off into a tangent. Every city has thugs. If they really wanted to go to the beach front they could always just steal a car or take the bus.
If were talking about a story about Light rail being "ahead of schedule" (which it isn't even close to "on schedule") let's try and stay on topic.
For fdm505
Just painful - plan and simple painful. What an intelligent, well thoughout world view. Travel much.
Traveled the world and got back in time to stop socialism here
Actually, I've spent months living in poverty stricken nations destroyed by socialism overseas. I've traveled extensively and am fortunate to have been born in the United States of America.
After first hand experiencing what it is like to live in a nation whose economy have been destroyed by socialism (the former USSR), I'm glad to be back in my homeland now to volunteer to work to stop the spread of socialism here now!
You Marxists/socialists just don't get it do you? (That's a rhetorical questions really. Of course, you Marxists don't get it. But, its got a cool "Dirty Harry" tone to it. Kind of like "Did I fire 5 shots or 6?")
Well, do you?
Oppose light rail spreading into the beach. Contain this cancer to Norfolk and quarantine it. Oppose the Marxists!