The SSTC public-private partnership is publicly funded by 53% federal funds, 11% state (MD) funds and 36% county (Montgomery) funds. Twenty years ago Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan said that the $20 million transit center will be complete in
1998. Today the $140+ million SSTC is undergoing "repairs". It hasn't opened to the public and it hasn't seen its first fully-loaded bus. Whether or not METRO, which is concerned about the SSTC's severe cracking continuing into the future, accepts the SSTC to operate and maintain remains to be seen.
When Larry Hogan campaigned for governor, he promised to kill the public-private partnership Purple Line. Now Governor Hogan is waffling. Funding for the projected $2.4 BILLION public-private partnership Purple Line is 68% federal, 20% state (MD), 8% county (Montgomery & Prince George's) and 3% private. At the projected $2.4 BILLION taxpayers are on-the-hook for more than 10 times with the public-private partnership Purple Line as compared to the public-private partnership Silver Spring Transit Center!
One of the unasked questions with the Silver Spring Transit Center "monumental debacle" is why did Montgomery County non-competitively choose private company Parsons Brinckerhoff to provide the structural design for the SSTC, private company Foulger Pratt to build it and private company Balter to inspect and test concrete and to serve as special quality inspector? Private companies providing services on most public works projects are selected competitively in open competition with other private companies. Don't you think that it would be wise for the public to know the answer to this question before public funds are committed to another public-private partnership, and the same "monumental debacle" mistake is made again?
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