WJLA story on the never-ending EFC bike shed fiasco

[arlcxrider]

https://wjla.com/news/local/east-falls-church-metro-bike-rack-under-construction-still-not-finished

“Next few months,” Metro says. I won’t be holding my breath. And let me get this straight, Metro hired *two* utterly incompetent contractors?

[ImaCynic]

This project is quickly becoming Arlington’s equivalent of the Silver Spring Transit Center mess.

https://dc.curbed.com/2015/9/21/9919280/silver-spring-transit-center

[Steve O]

@arlcxrider 197235 wrote:

https://wjla.com/news/local/east-falls-church-metro-bike-rack-under-construction-still-not-finished

“Next few months,” Metro says. I won’t be holding my breath. And let me get this straight, Metro hired *two* utterly incompetent contractors?

Wait!!! I think this calls for an “office” pool.

EVERYONE! – Predict the date the East Falls Church Metro Station bicycle park and ride station officially opens for business and win beverages on me at a happy hour or coffee club.

Rules:

• Predict the date the station opens for regular use (not a ceremonial ribbon cutting or something that does not coincide with its actual opening)
• Your date must be prior to (or exactly on) the actual opening. Dates after the opening will be disqualified.

To keep your prediction anonymous, PM me or email me your prediction. For those of you who failed to read the previous sentence and posted your prediction here, others may not predict a date that is closer than 1 week later than your date.
Example: a prediction of May 1, 2021 is posted here. No one may post another prediction between May 1 and May 7, 2021 (or, if you do, it will be thrown out).

Pool closes January 31, 2020, at which time I will publicize the predictions.

Good luck!!!

[arlcxrider]

Notice also (from the story) the perfidious “duct bank” that lurks below the surface and snares the unsuspecting. See also: Columbia Pike.

[mstone]

@arlcxrider 197249 wrote:

Notice also (from the story) the perfidious “duct bank” that lurks below the surface and snares the unsuspecting. See also: Columbia Pike.

ducts are similarly one of the rationales for the crappy new trail inside the sound wall on 66!

also, the picture in that article is making me nauseous. if a little dutch angle is good, a lot must be better, right?

[Steve O]

I actually took a photo back when it was only a year late.
And then again a few months ago.

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[Henry]

@Steve O 197468 wrote:

I actually took a photo back when it was only a year late.
And then again a few months ago.

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Do you also have pics of the “Spring 2011” signs for the Washington Blvd Trail? I lost mine.

[chris_s]

@arlcxrider 197235 wrote:

And let me get this straight, Metro hired *two* utterly incompetent contractors?

Typically US governments are required by law to hire the lowest bid contractor. This helps avoid corruption, but also often forces them to hire a company they are pretty confident is going to screw it up, cut corners, or go out of business mid-project. We need a better system.

[chris_s]

@Henry 197474 wrote:

Do you also have pics of the “Spring 2011” signs for the Washington Blvd Trail? I lost mine.

I got your back.

[arlcxrider]

@chris_s 197618 wrote:

Typically US governments are required by law to hire the lowest bid contractor. This helps avoid corruption, but also often forces them to hire a company they are pretty confident is going to screw it up, cut corners, or go out of business mid-project. We need a better system.

They’re required to hire the lowest bid qualified contractor. And in many of these cases, deficiencies or ambiguities (“errors and omissions”) in the contract documents lead to problems, in other words the owner doesn’t have clean hands either. Of course Metro is not going to admit that, especially if there are pending claims and counter-claims.

[trailrunner]

@chris_s 197618 wrote:

Typically US governments are required by law to hire the lowest bid contractor. This helps avoid corruption, but also often forces them to hire a company they are pretty confident is going to screw it up, cut corners, or go out of business mid-project. We need a better system.

Actually, it depends. I have been allowed at times to choose the contractor that offered the best value.

Regarding your second sentence – Other times I had to choose the contractor with the lowest price that met the minimum requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements should prevent the problems you cite.

[Steve O]

Office pool closes on Friday!! Getcher predictions in. Not a lot of predictions so far, so your odds are good.
PM or email to steve offuttemail dahtcom

@Steve O 197246 wrote:

Wait!!! I think this calls for an “office” pool.

EVERYONE! – Predict the date the East Falls Church Metro Station bicycle park and ride station officially opens for business and win beverages on me at a happy hour or coffee club.

Rules:

• Predict the date the station opens for regular use (not a ceremonial ribbon cutting or something that does not coincide with its actual opening)
• Your date must be prior to (or exactly on) the actual opening. Dates after the opening will be disqualified.

To keep your prediction anonymous, PM me or email me your prediction. For those of you who failed to read the previous sentence and posted your prediction here, others may not predict a date that is closer than 1 week later than your date.
Example: a prediction of May 1, 2021 is posted here. No one may post another prediction between May 1 and May 7, 2021 (or, if you do, it will be thrown out).

Pool closes January 31, 2020, at which time I will publicize the predictions.

Good luck!!!

[dbb]

@arlcxrider 197620 wrote:

They’re required to hire the lowest bid qualified contractor. And in many of these cases, deficiencies or ambiguities (“errors and omissions”) in the contract documents lead to problems, in other words the owner doesn’t have clean hands either. Of course Metro is not going to admit that, especially if there are pending claims and counter-claims.

But the contracting officers often lack the stones to assess a contractor to be unqualified at the proposal stage. The contracting officers I’ve worked with seem to fear a challenge more than anything else, including the zombie apocalypse. Because they are sitting in the catbird’s seat, they often are successful in wearing down the actual customers (folks like me) by asking for documentation that tends to eliminate any expertise (and interpretation) of the technical experts reviewing the proposals.

Combined with the newfound fondness for fixed price contracts (which like fixed gear bikes, have a limited role), we demonstrate that you can put a square peg in a round hole if you accept damage to the peg.

[n18]

Just saw another coverage of this story on ABC. They say Metro didn’t give them an answer when they are going to be finished.

Metro has spent $3.8 million and 5 years building 2 bike racks. They’re still unfinished.(That’s about $20K per bike)
https://wjla.com/news/local/metro-38-million-5-years-bike-racks

[Steve O]

@n18 198276 wrote:

Just saw another coverage of this story on ABC. They say Metro didn’t give them an answer when they are going to be finished.

Metro has spent $3.8 million and 5 years building 2 bike racks. They’re still unfinished.(That’s about $20K per bike)
https://wjla.com/news/local/metro-38-million-5-years-bike-racks

Still a bargain compared to the cost of making a parking space in an enclosed shelter for a car. I think about the lowest cost per space you might see these days is $20k for a surface spot, but that would not be right by a Metro station, where land costs are higher. Underground parking can cost up to $100k for a single space.
That’s not to say this whole thing is not a fiasco, but rather the enormous costs of automobiles are a continuous ongoing one.

[Author]

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