Comments on: Someone’s got some ‘xplaining to do: More transit cost overruns

By: Shawn

Shawn — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:54:17 +0000

Well, obviously, at this point in time we cannot rule out corruption as a major reason behind the escalation in final costs.

By: NEUmontréal

NEUmontréal — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:21:32 +0000

Whoa — the Gazette article cited above merely says the contract has changed to include more train cars. That is a good thing.

Has the price/car shot up dramatically?

No, they merely want to buy more métro trains to be able to replace not only the MR-63s but the later 1970s model and also have enough spare trains to cover any eventual métro extensions.

There’s nothing particularly scandalous about increased public investment in clean, already fully-electric transportation during a time of intense demand-destruction — this is probably the best time to launch new capital spending in métro infrastructure — unless you are a big fan of Milton Friedman. In which case, why are we bothering?

PS The letter on cost overruns is now available: http://bit.ly/2iypEC

By: Denis

Denis — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:00:36 +0000

Hello NEU, I agree with the general principal and am myself no fan of urban sprawl (and all its inherent inefficiencies). Ironic then that development of suburbs can be encouraged by better transit within the city core, which makes it easier for people to live outside of it.

What the city needs most is affordable multi-story housing “in” the city core, and no I don’t just mean 200,000$ condos…

By: Denis

Denis — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:01:46 +0000

Don’t know if this makes me chuckle… more like… grunt in disgust. This gives better transit solutions a bad name. And no one can tell me it has nothing to do with shady bidding processes, corrupt politicians and greedy contractors. The only people making good money in this recession economy is the constructions sector. And it’s easy enough to see why.

Cost estimates cannot possible be off by so much (public funds!!) every single time we decide to give huge infrastructure projects the go-ahead. Someone is profiting and public enquiries should be made every time to see who’s unfairly pocketing my tax dollars!

By: NEUmontréal

NEUmontréal — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:14:24 +0000

“better suburban transit may be the city’s greatest need”

Well, I would disagree there. A city’s greatest need is probably eliminating its need for suburbs.

This topic is addressed in a letter by Richard Bergeron which I will post on my website post haste.