How's your sense of smell? Can you tell if something smells "fishy"?
In March 2013 KCE's structural evaluation report for the Silver Spring Transit Center documented severe concrete cracking and other design, construction, inspection and management flaws.
The report blames the numerous flaws on "errors and omissions" by the SSTC's builder Foulger Pratt, design engineer Parsons Brinkerhoff and concrete inspector/tester and special quality inspector Balter Co.
Without holding public meetings to answer the public's questions, Montgomery County proceeded with "repairs" to the yet unopened SSTC, using public money to make said "repairs".
What? The public paid more-than-retail for a brand new state-of-the-art transit center. Despite the fact that the SSTC hasn't opened, Montgomery County rushes ahead to make "repairs" using public money--without first holding public meetings to explain to the public why the County is using the public's money to "fix" the design, construction and inspection flaws. Does this sound "kosher" to you? Would you pay for "repairs" to a brand new automobile that you paid more than retail for before it had even been delivered to you? And, would you be comfortable with the same companies making "repairs" that are responsible for the severe flaws in the first place? I think not.
Of the SSTC's many design, construction and inspection flaws, one that I find particularly troubling is the fact that the 315 ft. wide by 580 ft. long SSTC doesn't have any expansion joints--despite the fact that WMATA design and construction standards require expansion joints to be located no more than 100 ft. apart. This total lack of expansion joints (along with under-strength and over-stressed concrete) may explain the cracking. (The SSTC hasn't seen its first fully loaded bus.) As a stakeholder in the SSTC, I want to know why WMATA's design and construction standards weren't followed. I also want to know why none of the so-called "repairs" to the SSTC address its complete lack of expansion joints. Don't you want to know too?
For the past two years there's been much from the news media (print, TV, radio, internet) about the Silver Spring Transit Center. But, there are still many unanswered questions. For example, how and why did Montgomery County non-competitively select Foulger Pratt, Parsons Brinkerhoff and Balter Co. to build, design and inspect the SSTC, when private companies for most public works projects are selected competitively? What's up with that?
Since March 2013 MC Department of General Services Director David Dise, MC Executive Isiah Leggett and MC Council member and Transportation Committee chairman Roger Berliner have steadfastly insisted that Montgomery County bears no responsibility for the LEMON SSTC, despite the fact that Montgomery County
- conceived the project
- is owner of record
- is construction manager with a team of full-time County employees on site during construction
- is responsible for approving and issuing permits for all construction in the county
- non-competitively selected the SSTC's builder, engineer and inspector
Yet, Montgomery County bears no responsibility for the outcome? Are you buying this? Center for Working Families Director and former MC Council member Valerie Ervin isn't. Here's what she had to say in early 2014:
Valerie Ervin on Silver Spring Transit Center (Video) | Montgomery Community Media
Last, but not least, are you OK with a Purple Line public-private partnership in light of the "monumental debacle" SSTC public-private partnership? Because if you are, then you need to get your nose checked.Valerie Ervin on Silver Spring Transit Center (Video) | Montgomery Community Media
duh! ... C'mon man!
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| Silver Spring Transit Center Botched Jobs Hall of Shame Lemon Award |
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