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.