The brand new, yet-to-be-opened, $120+ million Silver Spring Transit Center, only yards away from the D.C./MD line, is severely cracked from stem to stern. Big story? But there's more. Not only is the SSTC severely cracked, but also:
- slabs are thinner than they're supposed to be
- some reinforcement is exposed while other reinforcement is missing
- suspect concrete test reports show exactly the same test values for multiple samples
- concrete was exposed to freezing temperatures during curing
- in situ tests show 37% more water than called for was added to the concrete mix
- beams are under-designed
- 3-inch thick pieces of concrete have fallen from the building
- expansion/contraction joints, which should have been placed every 100 feet or less, are totally missing in the 315 ft. by 580 ft. transit center
- etc.
A March 2013 report commissioned by Montgomery County blames the SSTC's serious flaws on errors and omissions by the contractor/builder, the engineer/designer and the concrete inspection/testing firm.
That was more than a year ago. One would think that more than a year later that the news media would have asked Montgomery County how and why they selected the SSTC's contractor/builder, engineer/designer and concrete inspection/testing firm. Not so. The news media (print, TV, radio, internet) have reported all of Montgomery County's press releases and public statements by County officials; but, they have failed to ask the County why and how all of this happened in the first place, starting with why and how the County selected the builder, engineer and concrete testing firm.
All the while the news media tout how they report "in depth" and ask "probing questions".
Baloney. No news is no news.
All the while the news media tout how they report "in depth" and ask "probing questions".
Baloney. No news is no news.
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