Silver Spring Transit Center "monumental" taxpayer abuse

According to Montgomery County MD councilman Phil Andrews, the Silver Spring Transit Center (aka Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center) is a "monumental debacle". I suspect that Councilman Andrews is referring to the SSTC's "monumental" delays, "monumental" cost overruns and "monumental" structural flaws. However, Montgomery County's abuse of county, state and federal taxpayers is also "monumental".

The Silver Spring Transit Center is funded by Federal (53%), State (11%) and County (36%) funds.

Montgomery County's poor decisions in continuing to pour millions into the severely flawed, overdue, over-budget SSTC not only effects Montgomery County taxpayers; but also, the council's poor decisions effect taxpayers all over the United States. Taxpayers from faraway states, and even those from far reaches in Maryland, who will never use METRO or the Silver Spring Transit Center, are paying for Montgomery County's poor decisions.

However, let's not forget the roles of the Federal Transit Administration and the Maryland Transit Administration in this "monumental debacle". These agencies are also charged with protecting the public's money. Where have they been throughout this "monumental debacle"? Out to lunch?

Worst of all, we're headed down that same road again. 

The Silver Spring Transit Center is a public-private partnership, in which Montgomery County selected engineer Parsons Brinkerhoff, builder Foulger Pratt and concrete inspector Balter Co. non-competitively. Private companies for most public works projects are selected competitively. 

We don't know how much that the non-competitive selection of Parsons Brinkerhoff, Foulger Pratt and Balter Co. had to do with their "errors and omissions" that, according to KCE's structural report, caused this "monumental debacle"; but, one would think that we should find out BEFORE we go down that road again with the public-private partnership Purple Line.

"Monumental Debacle"

Silver Spring Transit Center

"...basically, call it the stupidity of the American voter..."