A sad tale

Montgomery County Plans to Turn Silver Spring Transit Center Over to WMATA Soon - Bethesda Beat

"The $140 million bus depot connected to the Silver Spring Metro station is about $50 million over budget and four years behind schedule due to construction and structural issues."  

How NOT to manage a public works project: 

1. Pick your private business buddies to do the work (public-private partnership), instead of competitively selecting private contractors for your public project, as is done with most public works projects. 
2. Select problem-plagued WMATA to be your public partner.
3. Choose the wrong manager (https://www.ignet.gov/sites/default/files/files/FAEC-Presentation-Project-Management-Deficiencies-in-Constructing-the-SSTC.pdf). 
4. Turn a blind eye to your own (Montgomery County) building inspector who found problems with the design before construction began (Report: Problems with Silver Spring Transit Center may have been known years ago | WJLA.com). 
5. Don't inspect the construction (including concrete inspection & testing)--every minute, every day, every construction & inspection activity. 
6. Ignore problems as they arise (severely cracked concrete, etc.) www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DGS-BDC/Resources/Files/SS/509974/SSTC-Report-March-15-2013.pdf

"On June 9, the County Council appointed the law firm Saul Ewing, LLP—known for its work litigating Boston’s “Big Dig” project--to represent the county in legal issues concerning the transit center."

to be continued...

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

Gov. Hogan cuts MD contribution to Purple Line by more than 75%

Hogan: State to pay $168M for Purple Rail line in DC area - WTOP

Gov. Hogan has the right idea! The rest of MD applauds you, Gov. Hogan!

Now, the Feds need to follow suit and cut the federal contribution to the Purple Line by 75+%. 

Montgomery County mismanaged the Silver Spring Transit Center public-private partnership into a "monumental debacle"--severely flawed and grossly overbudget and overdue. They (MD & the Feds) could do us all a favor by killing public-private partnerships altogether.

Leggett

Not only is Ike Leggett trying to bankrupt Montgomery County; but, he's also trying to bankrupt the state of Maryland--and, the entire USA too!

Purple Line: Leggett Sends Message to Governor Hogan (VIDEO) | Montgomery Community Media

Leggett sure is anxious to spend other people's money, the rest of MD outside Montgomery Co. and the other 49 states, District of Columbia and US territories, whether it's for "repairs" to the severely flawed, grossly over-budget and grossly overdue Silver Spring Transit Center, a public-private partnership, or $2.45 BILLION for the Purple Line public-private partnership. If all politicians were as spend-happy as Leggett, the whole country would have been bankrupt long, LONG ago.

Despite Cancer Treatment, Hogan Still Expected to Make Purple Line Decision by End of June - Bethesda Beat

Purple Line

Silver Spring Transit Center

Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center

Independent Transit Authority (ITA)

public-private partnerships

WMATA

Federal Transit Authority (FTA)

Maryland Transit Authority (MTA)
Hogan

"... a discount"?

Montgomery to hire ‘Big Dig’ law firm to help with likely Transit Center suits - The Washington Post

Silver Spring Transit Center

throwing good money after bad

Hansen said there was no agreement with the firm yet on hourly rates because the council has yet to act. He did say, however that the firm was prepared to offer the county “a discount.”

Q: What is the difference between a lawyer and a boxing referee?
A: A boxing referee doesn't get paid more for a longer fight.

Q: What is the difference between a good lawyer and a bad lawyer?
A: A bad lawyer makes your case drag on for years. A good lawyer makes it last even longer.

Q: How many lawyer jokes are there?
A: Only two. The rest are true stories.

Silver Spring Transit Center
Paul S Sarbanes Transit Center
Montgomery County, MD

one "monumental debacle" at a time, please

SILVER SPRING TRANSIT CENTER

PURPLE LINE

• BOTH are public-private partnerships
• SSTC is severely flawed, grossly overdue & grossly over-budget
• Purple Line's projected cost is $2.45 BILLION
• Funding for the SSTC is 53% federal, 11% state (MD) & 36% county (Montgomery)
• Funding for the Purple Line is 68% federal, 20% state, 8% county (Montgomery & Prince George's) & 3% private
• BOTH have public contracts awarded non-competitively to private companies

STOP THE MADNESS!!!

ONLY ONE "MONUMENTAL DEBACLE" AT A TIME!!!

behind closed doors

Personally, I've never been fond of decisions involving public money that are made from behind closed doors. 

Public-private partnerships allow your government to non-competitively award public contracts to private companies, even though contracts with private companies are awarded competitively for most public works projects. Typically, private companies compete in open competition with other private companies for public contracts.

Deciding to award public contracts non-competitively to private companies from behind closed doors is bad enough; however, when the practice results in a "monumental debacle", injury is added to insult. Such is the case with the Silver Spring Transit Center.

On the heels of the "monumental debacle" Silver Spring Transit Center comes another public-private partnership--the Purple Line. Again, public contracts have been and will be awarded non-competitively to private companies based on what goes down behind closed doors. 

The BIG difference between the public-private partnership Silver Spring Transit Center and the public-private partnership Purple Line is that the projected cost for the SSTC was $20 million 20 years ago. The current projected cost for the Purple Line is $2.45 BILLION, which is more than 17 times the SSTC's current projected cost of $141 million and more than 122 times the SSTC's original projected cost of $20 million. One would think that should give the taxpaying public pause.

failed Silver Spring Transit Center public-private partnership

There are better things to do with public money than to waste it on a "monumental debacle". The public-private partnership Silver Spring Transit Center is severely flawed, grossly overbudget and years overdue. The SSTC is clearly a "monumental debacle". 

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?

zealots

Purple line backers protest indefinite delay

zeal·ot

ˈzelət/

noun

a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals.

synonyms: fanatic, enthusiast, extremist, radical, diehard, true believer, activist, militant;

A zealot is a person whose zeal for their cause trumps reality.

The public-private partnership Silver Spring Transit Center is a "monumental debacle". It is severely flawed, over-budget and overdue. Tens of millions in public funds are being spent for "repairs" before the SSTC opens to the public and before it has seen its first fully loaded bus. Most recently, Montgomery County approved more than $20 million in county funds, including $5 million from other public works projects, to pay for "repairs" to the severely flawed, public-private partnership SSTC.

During his campaign for governor, Larry Hogan promised to kill the public-private partnership light rail Purple Line. Now, as governor, he's waffling. Why, on the heels of the disaster SSTC public-private partnership, would taxpayers support another PPP with a $2.4 BILLION 
projected cost, before we know how and why the "monumental disaster" SSTC PPP failed so miserably? Why did Montgomery Co. non-competitively chose private companies Foulger Pratt, Parsons Brinkerhoff & Balter Co. to provide their services for the SSTC, when most private companies are selected competitively for public works projects? 

Stop the madness, Gov. Hogan! Don't listen to the "broken record" zealots! Don't make the same mistake twice! NO Purple Line until taxpayers get some answers! 


Finally, here's a classic example of zealots' barnyard logic. Zealots are quite willing to spend your $ ($1.629 BILLION, the federal government's share, which is 2/3 of the total $2.45 BILLION) for their pet project. Or is it that zealots don't value your $ the same way that they value their money? An outstanding example of zealotry, and zealots' barnyard logic!

Canceling the Purple Line would cost more than it would save - Greater Greater Washington 

The numbers in this article are deceiving. An earlier Greater Greater Washington article states that the federal government's share of the $2.45 BILLION total is $1.629 BILLION, or 2/3 of the total (as opposed to the roughly $923 million, or 38% of the total, shown in this later article). Figures lie, and liars figure.

Another public-private partnership ripoff

Right on the heels of the "monumental debacle" Silver Spring Transit Center public-private partnership comes the MUCH BIGGER Purple Line public-private partnership.

Purple Line: It's not the cost, it's the country club - Greater Greater Washington

68% of the WHOPPING $2.4 BILLION projected cost for the Purple Line are federal funds! MD chips in 20%, 8% from Montgomery & Prince George's Counties combined, and private funding makes up the rest at 3% of the total.

Federal funding is 53% of the total for the "monumental debacle" public-private partnership Silver Spring Transit Center. The federal dollars wasted on that lemon look like a bargain when compared to the projected $1.629 BILLION that federal taxpayers will be on the hook for with the public-private partnership Purple Line.  (The projected cost for the lemon Silver Spring Transit Center was $20 million ten years ago. Today the cost for the SSTC stands at $141+ million, and it hasn't opened to the public yet!) 

Noncompetitive contracting practices that result in a defective transit center or light rail line, with costs and schedule that are grossly inflated, don’t advance the cause for transit any more than $640 toilet seats, $7,600 coffee makers and $436 hammers advance the cause for national defense.

Wise up, taxpayers! Tell MD Gov. Hogan to make good on his campaign promise to kill the public-private partnership Purple Line NOW!

Will history repeat itself with the Purple Line?

One of the unasked questions of the Silver Spring Transit Center "monumental debacle" (as Montgomery County Councilman Phil Andrews calls it) is: Why did Montgomery County non-competitively choose private companies Parsons Brinckerfhoff to structurally design the SSTC, Foulger Pratt to build it and Balter Co. to inspect concrete and serve as special quality inspector?

The short answer is: because they can. Public-private partnerships allow government to non-competitively choose to give public contracts to private companies, even though private company contracts for most public works projects are the result of open competition.

The real answer is that we don't know why Montgomery County chose these three specific private companies to design, build and inspect the SSTC. In the more than two years since the SSTC's numerous structural defects became known not one of the many news media outlets (print, TV, radio, internet) covering the SSTC has asked the question. The public hasn't demanded an answer. And, Montgomery County hasn't volunteered why they really chose these three specific private companies to design, build and inspect the SSTC. One can only imagine why.

The Purple Line will be a public-private partnership, just like the Silver Spring Transit Center. Will history repeat itself with an even more costly "monumental debacle"? 

When Larry Hogan campaigned for governor, he promised to kill the Purple Line public-private partnership. Now, Governor Hogan is waffling.

Have you had enough, taxpayers? If so, then I suggest that you contact Governor Hogan and tell him so.

It's ironic that the PPP Purple Line will connect to the severely 
flawed, grossly overdue, grossly over-budget, 
"monumental debacle", PPP Silver Spring Transit Center

con job

Not only does the Silver Spring Transit Center go down as the worst public construction job in Montgomery County history, but also the SSTC may go down as the greatest con job in the County's history.


"It's all the private companies' fault." Don't believe it! The Silver Spring Transit Center is Montgomery County's project! 

• Montgomery County conceived the project!
• Montgomery County noncompetitively selected the private companies to design, build and inspect it!
• Montgomery County is owner of record!
• Montgomery County is project manager!
• Montgomery County issued the construction permits!
• As with all other construction projects in the County, Montgomery County has the responsibility to review, to issue permits, to inspect and to approve all construction within its boundaries.
• Further, Montgomery County was construction manager for the Silver Spring Transit Center with County employees on site full time during construction!

Report: Problems with Silver Spring Transit Center may have been known years ago | WJLA.com

https://www.ignet.gov/sites/default/files/files/FAEC-Presentation-Project-Management-Deficiencies-in-Constructing-the-SSTC.pdf

• Montgomery County's IG knows that it's Montgomery County's project!

The Silver Spring Transit Center is Montgomery County's project. The County's (David Dise, Isiah Leggett, Roger Berliner, et al) failure to take responsibility for its own project is a con job.


www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DGS-BDC/Resources/Files/SS/509974/SSTC-Report-March-15-2013.pdf

"It's safe." That's what we've been hearing for more than two years from Montgomery County and their paid and unpaid consultants. David Dise, Director of Montgomery County's Department of General Services, has gone so far as to say on numerous occasions that "The SSTC absolutely will be safe". Is Dise a seer? Can he predict the future? Does he have x-ray vision? Can he look inside the SSTC's hardened concrete frame and assure us that there are no as-of-yet undetected defects? Preposterous!

Are unfounded and irresponsible claims about the SSTC's safety part of the con job?

Let's hope not.

Finally, why did Montgomery County non-competitively choose private companies Foulger Pratt, Parsons Brinkerhoff & Balter Co. to provide their services for the "monumental debacle", boondoggle, grossly over budget, grossly overdue, severely flawed, SSTC? Taxpayers have had enough already!

SSTC: Never have so many failed to understand what so few understand.

‘Spring’ likely to become summer before Transit Center fixes completed - The Washington Post 

According to councilman Phil Andrews, the “monumental debacle” SSTC is the worst public works construction project in the county’s history. That’s true. It may also be the biggest con job in the county’s history.

How can David Dise have any credibility with all of his “it’ll be done by” dates that have come and gone? How can anyone believe his “the SSTC will absolutely be safe” public statements that he (and other Montgomery County officials and paid and unpaid consultants) have made on numerous occasions? Are they seers? Can they look into the future? Do they have x-ray vision, like Superman, where they can see inside the SSTC’s hardened concrete frame and assure the public that there are no more, as-of-yet undetected, fatal flaws? 

You can also put the numerous “the public won’t pay for repairs” public statements into the “are they seers?” category. Then there are statements by Dise et al that the county bears no responsibility for this fiasco, despite the fact that it’s the county’s project. Not only does the county have responsibility to review, issue permits, inspect and approve all construction, both public and private, within its boundaries, but also the county was construction manager for the SSTC with a team of full time county employees on site during construction. And BTW, the county itself noncompetitively chose the private companies that it says bears 100% of the responsibility for the “monumental debacle” SSTC. 

The SSTC is not only the worst public works construction job in Montgomery County history; but also the rubbish being spread by Dise and others at the county is the biggest con job in the county’s history.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Crews-Responding-to-Watergate-for-Report-of-Collapse-302150191.html

To those who take the Silver Spring Transit Center lightly, I call your attention to the Watergate garage. The circumstances are different. Watergate garage: water main break, heavy saturated soil, 50 year old structure, last inspected?, maintenance?... SSTC: design, construction & inspection flaws, understrength & overstressed concrete, under reinforced, ... One only needs to look at the videos/photos of Watergate to understand the consequences when parking garages collapse.

"News" that isn't new

Do a Google search for "news" for the Silver Spring Transit Center, and what do you find? Nothing new.

You find old reports with the same tired, stale, regurgitated, "line"--"it's going to open soon", "it's not going to cost the public any more money", "it's the contractors' fault", "it's safe", etc.

Despite the fact that we've known about the SSTC's many design, construction, inspection and management flaws for more than two years, you won't find answers to these questions:

• Why doesn't the 315 ft. wide by 580 ft. long SSTC have any expansion joints? Check out parking garages--at shopping malls, at airports, any parking garage--and you'll find plenty of these: 
  
  but, not at the Silver Spring Transit Center! WMATA design and construction standards require expansion/contraction joints to be located no farther apart than every 100 ft.! The absence of any expansion/contraction joints in the 315 ft. wide by 580 ft. long Silver Spring Transit Center is an absolutely incredible design, construction, inspection and management oversight! Cracking in concrete decks, beams, girders and columns? Of course there's cracking! And, there will continue to be cracking because "repairs" don't address the 315 ft. wide by 580 ft. long SSTC's complete lack of expansion joints! DUH!

• Why did Montgomery County non-competitively select private builder Foulger Pratt, private engineer Parsons Brinkerhoff and private concrete inspector/tester Balter Co., when private companies are selected competitively for most public works projects?

• Why didn't Montgomery County, the Federal Transit Administration or the Maryland Transit Administration hold public hearings after release of the KCE report ( www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DGS-BDC/Resources/Files/SS/509974/SSTC-Report-March-15-2013 ), where taxpayers (county, state and federal) could ask their questions and provide their comments on the public record, before the County spent tens of millions additional public money on "repairs", and before the SSTC is opened to the public?

• Why have Montgomery County officials and their paid and unpaid consultants said repeatedly that the SSTC is (or will be) safe, given its numerous structural flaws--widespread cracking, no expansion joints, under-strength and over-stressed concrete, slabs more than an inch thinner than what they're supposed to be, missing reinforcement, exposed reinforcement, design errors, concrete test reports that show exactly the same test data for multiple samples, etc.? 

I find the latter to be particularly strange, because:

• many of the design, construction and inspection errors documented in KCE's report are not addressed by "repairs", e.g., the SSTC's complete lack of expansion joints, under-strength and over-stressed concrete and cracking in concrete girders and columns.
  

• the SSTC hasn't seen its first fully loaded bus

• In numerous news media reports Montgomery County officials and their paid and unpaid private consultants say that the SSTC is, or will be, safe. David Dise has been quoted numerous times as saying "The SSTC will absolutely be safe." Why are they so sure? Do they have x-ray vision that allows them to search for undetected structural flaws inside the SSTC's hardened concrete frame, e.g. missing reinforcement, reinforcement that is less than what is called for (diameter, length, grade, embedment length and details, insufficiently tied to other reinforcement, etc.)? Surely with the many structural flaws that KCE uncovered with their random tests, there must be additional flaws that are yet undetected. Are they seers? Can they foretell the future? 

"The SSTC will absolutely be safe."
Repairs On Long-Delayed Silver Spring Transit Center Could Be Done Next Year | WAMU 88.5 - American University Radio

• A severely flawed structure can result in failure and death.

In the hundreds of the news media reports over the past more than two years (print, TV, radio, internet) not a single reporter or news media outlet has asked these questions. Instead, we get the same old stuff (SOS)--tired, stale and regurgitated.

There are many unanswered questions
 with the Silver Spring Transit Center
Valerie Ervin on Silver Spring Transit Center and Election 2014 - YouTube

Councilman Phil Andrews says the SSTC is a "monumental debacle"
Silver Spring Transit Center to cost taxpayers even more money | WJLA.com

Silver Spring Transit Center
Botched Jobs Hall of Shame
Lemon Award

Full steam ahead with the public-private partnership Purple Line after the "monumental debacle", public-private partnership Silver Spring Transit Center? 

Yeah, that makes sense. 
DUH!

Don't you think that it's strange?

The news media have been reporting the "monumental debacle" Silver Spring Transit Center for more than two years. KCE's structural evaluation report for the SSTC was made public in March 2013.
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DGS-BDC/Resources/Files/SS/509974/SSTC-Report-March-15-2013.pdf

Don't you think that it's strange that in the past two plus years that news media: 

• haven't reported why the 315 ft. wide by 580 ft. long SSTC doesn't have any expansion joints, when WMATA design and construction standards require expansion joints to be placed no farther apart than every 100 ft.?

• haven't reported why Montgomery County non-competitively selected private builder Foulger Pratt, private engineer Parsons Brinkerhoff and private concrete inspector/tester Balter Co., when private companies are selected competitively for most public works projects?

• haven't asked Montgomery County, the Federal Transit Administration or the Maryland Transit Administration why public hearings weren't held after release of the KCE report, where taxpayers (county, state and federal) could ask their questions and provide their comments on the public record, before spending additional tens of millions on "repairs", and before the SSTC is opened to the public?

• haven't asked Montgomery County officials and their paid and unpaid consultants why they say that the SSTC is (or will be) safe, given the numerous structural flaws documented in KCE's report e.g., widespread cracking, no expansion joints, under-strength and over-stressed concrete, slabs more than an inch thinner than what they're supposed to be, missing reinforcement, exposed reinforcement, design errors, concrete test reports that show exactly the same test data for multiple samples, etc.?

I find the latter to be particularly strange, because:

• many of the design, construction and inspection errors documented in KCE's report are not addressed by "repairs", e.g., the SSTC's complete lack of expansion joints, under-strength and over-stressed concrete and cracking in concrete girders and columns. 

• the SSTC hasn't seen its first fully loaded bus.

• In numerous news media reports Montgomery County officials and their paid and unpaid private consultants say that the SSTC is, or will be, safe. David Dise has been quoted numerous times as saying "The SSTC will absolutely be safe." Why are they so sure? Do they have x-ray vision that allows them to search for undetected structural flaws inside the SSTC's hardened concrete frame, e.g. missing reinforcement, reinforcement that is less than what is called for (diameter, length, grade, embedment length and details, insufficiently tied to other reinforcement, etc.)? Surely with the many structural flaws that KCE uncovered with their random tests, there must be additional flaws that are yet undetected. Are they seers? Can they foretell the future?

• A severely flawed structure can result in failure and death.

In all of the news media reports over the past more than two years (print, TV, radio, internet) not a single reporter or news media outlet has asked these questions. Strange.

There are many unanswered questions
 with the Silver Spring Transit Center
Valerie Ervin on Silver Spring Transit Center and Election 2014 - YouTube

Silver Spring Transit Center
Botched Jobs Hall of Shame
Lemon Award

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

where was this guy when we (taxpayers) needed him?

Where was this guy during the Silver Spring Transit Center "monumental debacle"?
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!

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. 

Silver Spring Transit Center
Botched Jobs Hall of Shame
Lemon Award