Road program hits a snag with bids running higher than planned

[thelakelander]

Nearly eight months after issuing more than $100 million in bonds to pay for a flurry of long-desired road projects throughout the city, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority has not yet broken ground or even awarded a construction contract for the first project.
Much of the roadwork JTA plans to complete are leftover projects from the sales tax-financed Better Jacksonville Plan that were never finished because money ran out — meaning city officials promised these projects as long as 15 years ago.

But JTA faces unanticipated hiccups ramping up work: The top two bids for the initial project, reconstructing and expanding portions of Girvin Road, came in almost $2 million over the estimated $14 million price tag.

The City Council extended Jacksonville's 6-cent gas tax last year over the objection of former Mayor Alvin Brown so that JTA could complete a list of at least $100 million worth of transportation projects. Although JTA is most widely known now for running city buses and the Skyway, the agency has had a somewhat unusual role in overseeing some of the city's most significant road projects, including building the Dames Point bridge and Butler Boulevard.

The council's decision to extend the gas tax, thought to be made at a time when construction prices were low and the city could benefit from the employment opportunities, was made to much fanfare. It also came at a time when the city was offering only bare-bones investment in road projects, giving the JTA work more prominence.

JTA issued bonds in January for immediate funding to start the work, a day it referred to in a news release at the time as "exceptional."

But the lack of apparent progress so this late in the summer has raised concerns.

"When we voted on this, I sensed that things would happen almost immediately," said City Councilman John Crescimbeni, who supported the 20-year gas-tax extension. "We may need to revisit the issue with JTA and find out what the holdup is."

Full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/2015-08-09/story/road-program-hits-snag-bids-running-higher-planned

[southsider1015]

Nearly eight months after issuing more than $100 million in bonds to pay for a flurry of long-desired road projects throughout the city, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority has not yet broken ground or even awarded a construction contract for the first project.
Much of the roadwork JTA plans to complete are leftover projects from the sales tax-financed Better Jacksonville Plan that were never finished because money ran out — meaning city officials promised these projects as long as 15 years ago.

But JTA faces unanticipated hiccups ramping up work: The top two bids for the initial project, reconstructing and expanding portions of Girvin Road, came in almost $2 million over the estimated $14 million price tag.

The City Council extended Jacksonville's 6-cent gas tax last year over the objection of former Mayor Alvin Brown so that JTA could complete a list of at least $100 million worth of transportation projects. Although JTA is most widely known now for running city buses and the Skyway, the agency has had a somewhat unusual role in overseeing some of the city's most significant road projects, including building the Dames Point bridge and Butler Boulevard.

The council's decision to extend the gas tax, thought to be made at a time when construction prices were low and the city could benefit from the employment opportunities, was made to much fanfare. It also came at a time when the city was offering only bare-bones investment in road projects, giving the JTA work more prominence.

JTA issued bonds in January for immediate funding to start the work, a day it referred to in a news release at the time as "exceptional."

But the lack of apparent progress so this late in the summer has raised concerns.

"When we voted on this, I sensed that things would happen almost immediately," said City Councilman John Crescimbeni, who supported the 20-year gas-tax extension. "We may need to revisit the issue with JTA and find out what the holdup is."

Full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/2015-08-09/story/road-program-hits-snag-bids-running-higher-planned

100% design completed years ago? Of course they're going to increase their bids, theres a good chunk of redesign and risk there.  Plus, every contractor is smart to add fluff in when bidding on JTA/COJ projects.  They aren't in the business of road building, and are lightyears behind FDOT.

It really should be no surprise.