Why the truth matters

The truth is important because the lack of truth can kill you. 

Montgomery County officials Leggett, Leventhal, Berliner, Dise, etc., and the County's paid consultants, have said repeatedly (and news media have reported repeatedly--in news; NOT as op-ed) that the Silver Spring Transit Center is safe. 

Are Leggett, Leventhal and Berliner construction experts? Hardly. Take what they say about the SSTC's construction with a BIG grain of salt. 

Are Leggett, Leventhal, Berliner, Dise, et al seers?

If so, then news media should report that it's because they believe that they can foretell the future that they believe 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 truth 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 knows how under-strength and over-stressed concrete will perform under actual, dynamic loading (fully loaded buses) in the short term or in the long term. Nobody knows how the 315 ft. wide by 580 ft. long SSTC with NO expansion joints (even though WMATA requires them to be spaced no more than 100 ft. apart), and with questionable concrete and steel reinforcement, will react when subjected to actual, dynamic loading. Nobody! 

"Get your facts first, then you can distort
them as you please."          Mark Twain

KCE's report is FULL of facts about extensive concrete cracking, slabs that are more than an inch thinner than what they're supposed to be, missing reinforcement, understrength and overstressed concrete, the SSTC's complete lack of expansion joints, etc. If you want facts, then read KCE's report: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DGS-BDC/Resources/Files/SS/509974/SSTC-Report-March-15-2013.pdf

Just because Leggett, Leventhal, Berliner, Dise, paid consultants and news media say that the SSTC is safe doesn't make it safe. Did any news medium clarify that the oft repeated public statements that "the SSTC is safe" are opinions of those who say so rather than fact? NO! 

Truth matters. If the SSTC isn't safe, then someone(s) could get killed. 

Silver Spring Transit Center
Botched Jobs Hall of Shame
Lemon Award