HRT welcomes public audit of light rail

Hampton Roads, Va., Transit welcomed the call for a public audit of the light rail project as a significant step toward ensuring accountability of The Tide's management and oversight, the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot reports.

"We thank Delegate Miller
and her co-sponsors for legislative leadership on this and appreciate her
on-going concern for the financial integrity of this project," said James
Toscano, vice president of public affairs and communications at HRT. "We
believe an audit is critical to a full understanding of the light rail project
cost problems and will serve as a means of restoring public confidence. We need
both if light rail is to be successfully extended to other communities.

Virginia General Assembly
Delegate Paula Miller, D-Norfolk, on Jan. 20 called on the auditor of public
accounts to conduct an audit of The Tide after it was revealed that the project
had gone over budget. As of Jan. 21, Norfolk delegates Algie Howell, Kenneth
Alexander and Lynwood Lewis, and Sen. Ralph Northam, D-Norfolk, are co-sponsors
of HJ151.

In another story, some of
the concrete laid around the embedded light-rail track behind City Hall does
not meet minimum standards and is being torn out. While the mistake was made by
a contractor, which must absorb the cost of redoing the job, the timing is
unfortunate, Hampton Roads Transit spokesman Tom Holden said. The transit
agency has been harshly criticized for cost overruns and schedule delays on the
construction of Norfolk’s light-rail starter line.

Holden said about 700
feet of concrete on East Main Street between City Hall and Harbor Park did not
pass compression tests. Crews will take 10 days to rip it out and pour new
concrete, he said.

"This is more of a
nuisance – it will not affect the latest completion date and will not affect
the cost because the contractor has to pay for it," Holden said. "Re-dos of one
kind or another happen throughout big projects. Certainly it’s not what the
contractor wants. Nobody wants to have that happen. But it can happen."

About a year ago, HRT
said light rail’s $232-million price had jumped to $288 million. Officials told
Norfolk City Council last month that the price had risen to $328 million. The
next day, it was revealed that it could actually be $340 million.

The 7.4-mile light-rail
line runs from the medical complex on Brambleton Avenue, through downtown, to
the city line at Newtown Road. It is scheduled to open in early 2011.