Obvious Idiocy?
August 24th, 2007. Published under General. 1 Comment.
I saw this article in the Star Tribune just now:
35W bridge builder will get big bucks for speedy work
Now correct me if I seem way off base … but do you think it’s a good idea to RUSH the replacement of a bridge that had massive structural failure (because nobody in the current state Republican administration felt the need to, oh, FIX THE GODDAMN THING) just so we have a bridge back in operation? Twenty-seven MILLION dollars in incentives to “finish the job early”. In what crazy fantasy-land is this a good idea? Am I the only one who thinks that corners will be cut and work hastily done to grab that big pile of cash available?
Here’s the scoop on the “incentive”:
If the team needs to do extra work and asks for no additional time beyond the date set in the contract, it can earn a bonus of $7 million, and can collect another $200,000 for every day it finishes early, up to 100 days.
For a project - a 10 lane bridge over the Mississippi River - that is slated to take 14 months, why would they give incentives like that to have them finish over 3 months early? Do they pad the time estimate of the project so a perfect job of construction would take only 11 months? I DON’T GET IT.
But wait … there’s more!
The accelerated construction schedule also is unusual, and [Jon Chiglo, MnDOT's manager] said there are several reasons that such a timetable is possible. Because they’re starting from scratch, they won’t have to work around traffic, and they’ll have multiple shifts and crews working on both sides of the river.
Um … did someone forget that we’re in MINNESOTA? I’d like to see them working multiple shifts around the clock in the middle of January when the wind chill is -40 degrees for a high temperature.
Maybe I’m just paranoid, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to offer bonuses to speed up the process of a construction project. My only hope is that due to the intense scrutiny of the whole situation, that there’ll be extensive and thorough inspections. Hopefully.
Jennifer on August 24th, 2007
AMEN.