Knowing Where To Tap... CiteHR
- pre-construction?
- construction?
- post construction?
Not on the "public" side of the Silver Spring Transit Center public-private partnership:
- Montgomery County: owner of record, project manager, construction manager, jurisdictional responsibility (documents review, permits, inspection, etc.), steward for local public funding (36%)
- WMATA: pre-construction documents review and approval, construction review and approval, post construction operation and maintenance
- Federal Transit Administration: pre-construction review and approval, construction review and approval, steward for federal funding (53%)
- Maryland Transit Administration: pre-construction review and approval, construction review and approval, steward for state funding (11%)
"Council members on Tuesday also discussed a recent report on the transit center issue by the county inspector general’s office. The report called for the county to develop procedures in which an independent peer reviewer should be hired to check the design of “unusual and challenging” construction projects, or a construction manager should be employed to manage the project." Official ‘optimistic’ that Silver Spring Transit Center work will be done this year -- Gazette.Net
"unusual and challenging"? Are you kidding me?!? a 2-story, glorified parking garage is "unusual and challenging"?!? This must make all of the people who live and/or work in high-rise buildings in Silver Spring, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville, etc., that Montgomery County inspected and issued occupancy permits for, feel "warm & fuzzy"! NOT!!!
Apparently, the "private" side of the Silver Spring Transit Center public-private partnership also lacks a 2-story-glorified-parking-garage construction "expert":
- builder Foulger Pratt
- engineer Parsons Brinkerhoff
- concrete inspector/tester Balter Co.
- www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DGS-BDC/Resources/Files/SS/509974/SSTC-Report-March-15-2013.pdf
You know where that leaves us taxpayers!
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| Fleeced!!! |
aka Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center
Just remember, folks, that just because some Montgomery County official makes a public statement, and the news media report it, that doesn't make the public official's statement a fact. Public officials "spin" (deceive), and news media report it as facts. They're not. Are Leggett, Leventhal, Berliner, et al construction experts? Hardly. Take what they say about the SSTC's construction with a BIG grain of salt.
I happen to agree with former councilwoman Valerie Ervin--the truth will come out eventually--perhaps not until the legal suits work their way through court. Stay tuned.
Valerie Ervin on Silver Spring Transit Center and Election 2014 - YouTube
Finally, here's why the truth is important. (Listen up, Sentinel editor.) The truth is important because the lack of truth can kill you.
Montgomery County officials and their paid consultants have said repeatedly, and news media have reported repeatedly (in news; NOT as op-ed) that the SSTC is safe. Is it a fact that the SSTC is safe? NO! It is NOT a fact that "the SSTC is safe".
The fact is that nobody knows if the SSTC is safe. Why? Because nobody can look inside the SSTC's hardened concrete frame and see what reinforcing is missing, is not the right size (diameter), length or grade of steel, is not properly tied, etc. Nobody!
Just because Leggett, Leventhal, Berliner, paid consultants, etc. say that the SSTC is safe doesn't make it safe. Did the Sentinel, or any other news medium, clarify that the oft repeated public statements that "the SSTC is safe" are the opinions of those who say so rather than fact? NO!
The truth matters. If the SSTC isn't safe, then someone(s) could get killed.
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| Silver Spring Transit Center Botched Jobs Hall of Shame Lemon Award |
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