Man up, Montgomery County

Mahatma Gandhi said: “It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.” 

No one likes to admit their mistakes. This is especially true of politicians—and, even more so of some Montgomery County MD politicians.

Face it. The Silver Spring Transit Center is messed up. We’ve all known that from more than two years ago when it was first revealed that the completed, unopened, concrete structure was full of cracks and other design and construction flaws. 

Who’s at fault? 

Using their “bully pulpit”, and cooperating news media (print, TV, radio, internet), Montgomery County politicians have been quick to put all of the blame on the SSTC’s private engineer, builder and inspector. Montgomery County politicians have also been quick to point out that Montgomery County isn’t to blame, even though Montgomery County non-competitively selected the SSTC’s private engineer/designer (Parsons Brinckerhoff), builder/contractor (Foulger Pratt) and inspector (Balter Co.). Design and construction contracts with private companies are selected in open competition for most public works projects; but, Montgomery County was able to non-competitively award private contracts for this federally-funded public works job, because the Silver Spring Transit Center, like the Purple Line, is a public-private partnership. 

Montgomery County politicians have even blamed WMATA for the “monumental debacle” SSTC, because WMATA has balked at taking over the operation and maintenance of the severely flawed SSTC. 

Besides not admitting that Montgomery County’s non-competitive selection of the private engineer, builder and inspector was, in retrospect, a HUGE mistake, Montgomery County politicians don’t accept responsibility that the SSTC is THEIR project, in THEIR jurisdiction, where Montgomery County is responsible for reviewing and approving construction plans, issuing construction permits and monitoring construction as it progresses. Further, Montgomery County was construction manager for the SSTC with a team of full-time county employees, on site, during construction.

Montgomery County’s politicians even reject THEIR OWN inspector general’s report that mistakes were made.

Face it, Montgomery County politicians. Except for Phil Andrews, one of your own who admits that the SSTC is a “monumental debacle”, Montgomery County politicians, and cooperating news media, who aren't telling "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth" about the Silver Spring Transit Center, need to "man up".

politicians Leggett, Leventhal, Berliner, Dise et al

The notion that Montgomery County isn't responsible for the "monumental debacle" SSTC, along with private engineer Parsons Brinckerhoff, private builder Foulger Pratt, private inspector Balter Co., WMATA, the Maryland Transit Administration and the Federal Transit Administration, is absurd. Yet Montgomery County officials have been saying that Montgomery County isn't responsible, and news media have been reporting it, for two and a half years. The time is way past due for all those responsible for the "monumental debacle" SSTC to man up.

Silver Spring Transit Center 
Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center 
Montgomery County MD 
public-private partnership 
crony capitalism 
WMATA
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 
Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) 
Purple Line 
Gov. Hogan