Change Orders Help North Shore Budget

Port Authority of Allegheny County staff updated the Authority’s board today on the progress of the North Shore Connector work and reported that they are saving money through change orders. Change orders come as the scope of the work is tweaked during the process. The entire project is $1.9 million to the good at this point. That includes the $1.5 million lost when it was fond that the wrong type of electrical cable was being installed. Pat Rail Operations Engineering Officer Winston Simmons says they have determined that the error was due to a design flaw so they are in negotiations with the designers to recover some of the costs. The Authority hopes to recover about half the cost. Simmons says that includes returning the 120,000 feet of unused cable and selling the 30,000 feet of used material as scrap copper.

In all, about 72% of the project is complete and Simmons says they are on track for the March 2012 opening. Right now there are 6 contractors working on the North Shore station alone. Simmons says as those crews finish their work they will move on to the other stations being built as part of the connector. That includes the Gateway station that Simmons says will be closed in to allow traffic through the closed intersection by January 2011. After the intersection reopens there will still be underground work and work on the steel and glass atrium to be completed.

PAT Connector's Cost Estimate Drops $10 Million

The Port Authority of Allegheny County today reduced the cost estimate of the North Shore Connector project by $10 million, to a total of $528.8 million.

Spokesman Jim Ritchie says the money wasn’t saved in one area alone -- the authority worked with its contractor to reduce the cost “piece by piece.”

Ritchie says this isn’t the first time the estimate has dropped. Since last May, the project has seen a total reduction of $24 million.

The forthcoming subway route would connect a newly built Downtown station with two new depots near Heinz Field and PNC Park.

Ritchie says crews have finished the tunneling work.

“So there’s two tunnels now underneath the Allegheny River between Downtown and the North Shore, and inside those tunnels we’re actually starting the process of installing the tracks that will run through the tunnels,” says Ritchie. “We’re also in the process of building the new stations.”

The connector is a capital project, so the lower estimate will have no effect on the authority’s operating budget.

Restoration Begins on Beardon “T” Mural

The Port Authority of Allegheny County has begun the process of removing the tile mural that hung on the wall of the Gateway “T” station. The mural by the late Pittsburgh artist, Romare Beardon was commissioned for the station when it opened in 1984. It has been valued at $15 million dollars. Now that the station has been closed crews are removing the 13-foot by 60-foot mural piece by piece. The work will be sent to a restoration company in Ohio to be cleaned and remounted on 13-foot by 2-foot panels. It will be hung in the new station before it opens. Over the years the mural has received some water damage. Jerry Marinzel is the project coordinator for PAT. He says each tile has been numbered and photographed and the workers are in the process of scoring between each tile with a diamond tipped saw. They will then cut an inch behind the tiles and leave the cement intact to make sure no tiles are damaged. The removal process is expected to take two months and the restoration work will take about year. In all, the project is expected to cost $1-million. Marinzel says some of the money came from the portion of the station’s budget set aside for artwork and the rest has been covered by private donations. The mural titled "Pittsburgh Recollections" tells the story of Pittsburgh. Marinzel says educational materials will be created to let “T” users gain a better appreciation for the work. One of the 780 tiles was installed upside down. Marinzel says the artist supervised the instillation of the mural and the Port Authority assumes he intended the tile to be mounted upside down so when it is reinstalled it will remain upside down. More pictures of the work can be seen here.

PAT's Gateway "T" Station to Close October 31

The Port Authority will shut down its Gateway "T"(light rail) station October 31st. This is to make way for construction of a new Gateway station that's needed to "receive" the North Shore Connector. PAT spokesman Jim Ritchie says because of the connector "the lines will turn in a way so they can no longer use the existing (Gateway) station." He says the new station will be built in a slightly different location and is scheduled to open when the connector opens in late 2011. Ritchie says that because of the closing of the station, riders who rely on the "T" in that part of downtown Pittsburgh will have to find another way to use transit. He says the Wood Street station is only a few blocks away so many people will walk but since buses are free in downtown Pittsburgh, people can get off at the Wood Street station and hop on a bus toward the Gateway area.

As part of the closing of the Gateway station, PAT is removing a ceramic tile mural by the late Pittsburgh artist, Romare Beardon. The mural, which has been appraised at $15 million and has sustained some water damage, was installed in 1984 as part of the original subway construction. Ritchie says under the guidance of artists, crews are removing the mural titled "Pittsburgh Recollections," in pieces. It will be restored and then "hopefully displayed in time for the new station's opening."

Cyber Town Hall Wide Ranging

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato took several questions on the Port Authority and the possibility of a city/county merger in his second Cyber Town Hall Meeting Thursday. The half hour question and answer session was webcast on the County’s website. Questions were submitted via email including several on the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s finances and the North Shore Connector. Onorato says with a new contract in place and a dedicated source of revenue PAT is finally dealing with legacy costs and moving forward on improving operations. He defended the T-line extension under the Allegheny River saying it was 80% federally funded and will not only serve as a connection for north shore attractions and CCAC but it is also the first step to extending the line to the airport. He did however say the county would not cover any cost overruns. When probed about the possibility of a city/county merger Onorato reiterated his support for the merger and called on other municipalities to think about following suit. He says there are still several details to be worked out including workforce, representation and debt issues. He says before the issue could go to a vote there would have to be a series of public hearings and forums. Onorato also took a question on how the county will deal with the economic crisis. The Executive fielded a suggestion that the County Police Department be eliminated. Onorato says he once felt the same way but changed his mind after taking office. He says those officers provide much needed specialty services to the county’s 130 municipalities including homicide investigations. He says without the department each municipality would have to hire more officers, which would lead to higher taxes. The webcast will be archived along with the first Cyber Town Hall on the county’s web page.

Connector Won't Connect without Federal Funds

The Allegheny County Port Authority will halt work on the North Shore Connector over the next year if they fail to get $117.8 million dollars from the federal government's stimulus package. The Port Authority budgeted $435 dollars for the project in 2005. But PAT spokes person Judi McNeil says they could not have anticipated the skyrocketing cost of concrete and fabricated steel that make up most of the overruns.

So far, PAT has committed approximately $300 million to the project and has finished the tunneling portion of the Connector. McNeil says they are working with the Congressional delegation and Transit Administration to make sure their voice is heard when the federal dollars are made available. She says that every month the project is delayed will add an extra $3 million to the cost overruns. The Connector includes an underwater transit line from downtown to the north shore and three new "T" stations. It was slated to begin service in 2011.

North Shore Connector makes progress

As of this morning, Port Authority has reached a milestone in their North Shore Connector project, mining 2000 feet of the tunnels. Port Authority Rail Operations Officer Winston Simmonds says there is only 230 more feet to mine, which should be finished by next week. While the most complex part of the project will soon be complete, Simmonds says there is still a long way to go, with contractors having to put in railing and electricity. The tunnels are on schedule to open to the public in December 2011. Upon completion, the light rail transit extension will provide a route from the North Shore to downtown Pittsburgh.

Port Authority Gets Bids for North Shore T Station

The Port Authority of Allegheny County received four bids for the new Allegheny T Station on the North Shore ranging from $39 to $42 million. Although a contract will therefore exceed the original estimate of $30 million by about 30%, it could have been worse, according to Winston Simmonds, Rail Operations and Engineering Officer. Concrete and fuel prices are up, he says, and fabricated steel is 50% more costly this year.

Simmonds says the Port Authority is trying to mitigate costs in any way possible, e.g., by allowing a concrete alternative (to steel) for the Allegheny Station bid and by closing the Gateway Station completely during construction so the contractor can save money by having complete access.

The Port Authority will review the low bid of $39.8 million from Brayman Construction of Saxonburg, PA, along with a prior bid for the Gateway Station, with the goal of seeking board approval in July for awarding both contracts. Simmonds says the North Shore Connector will be a valuable regional asset, opening up opportunities for possible northward expansion in the future.