Tribune-Review

By Colin McNickle

April 27, 2008

Ah, yes, yet another Port Authority of Allegheny County project with cost estimates that are wildly off the mark once the mass-transit agency actually gets real-life bids.

Bids for the North Shore Connector's new Gateway Center subway station were 40 percent higher than the authority projected. It's the same agency that had to lop off one entire section of the subway extension (to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center) but the price stayed the same. The agency then acted as if the project that primarily extends subway service to the near North Side under the Allegheny River was on budget.

And given the history of the Port Authority's general inability to accurately gauge costs -- remember the original Airport Busway projections, kids? -- perhaps its time for someone in a position of oversight (Melissa Hart, if she's returned to Congress?) to start asking some pointed questions.

One of which being if the agency low-balls costs to gain initial federal project approval, then hopes government at some level will feel compelled to fund its boondoggles to avoid scrutiny and sheer embarrassment.