Six Billion Dollars
That’s the latest estimated pricetag I got yesterday from the Washington Department of Transportation Engineer at the Columbia Crossing Project openhouse.
The cost will be made up of three parts:
1. $1 Billion to $1.2 Billion for the Bridge itself.
2. Undetermined costs for the BRT or LRT Options (depends on which alignment and how many bells and whistles end up being attached…)
3.. Costs of the approaches to each side of the bridge to be the third part of the total price, because they are now recommending offically that the old bridge be removed. The option of leaving the old bridge for local access won’t do, because they need to redo the ramps for SR-14, Mill Plain, Marine Drive, and Hayden Island…
Total price estimated to be between $2 Billion and $6 Billion, based on what we know right now.
I spent 2 hours there yesterday, and came up with a lot of information that the Columbian didn’t bother to report.
Please feel free to stop by and have a look for yourself.
You know, the actual cost will probably substantially exceed the estimate. Isn’t that how it usually goes?
It’s only ten to thirty days of the cost of the Iraq occupation ($200 mil X # of days), the cost of which is a purely discretionary budget item.
We certainly need a new bridge more than we need to be occupying a country that does not want us there. Priorities…