Queens is getting screwed again, and the price tag for the 7-line repairs just hit $254 million. Riders who thought they’d be back on track by October 20 are now stuck with detours until March of next year. That’s nearly five extra months of pain for Flushing-bound commuters, and taxpayers are on the hook for another $2.8 million to cover the expanded scope.
The MTA claims they didn’t know the full extent of the damage until crews started tearing into the stations. At the 52nd Street and 69th Street stops, rail inspectors discovered 22 additional deteriorated steel beam sections, according to the New York Post. This isn’t just a delay; it’s a budget blowout that’s ballooning the original $217 million contract by about 17 percent.
The Hidden Costs of Bad Planning
MTA documents lay out exactly where the money is going, and it’s not pretty. The latest increase brings the total repair bill to $254.4 million. The agency blames “the direct costs of resequencing the work and ten months of impact costs.” Previous modifications to the project had already increased the repair contract’s original price tag by $34.5 million. That means we are paying dearly for a project that keeps getting bigger and more expensive right before our eyes.
It’s a classic case of underestimating the work and overcharging the public. An MTA spokesperson stated that crews cannot always determine the extent of steel deterioration until workers open the structure during construction. That sounds like a convenient excuse for a lack of proper inspection before the contract was even signed. If you can’t see the rot until you rip the wall down, you shouldn’t be promising a fixed price in the first place.
Queens Riders Pay the Price
For the people actually trying to get to work, this is a nightmare. Since May, Flushing-bound trains have been skipping both stations, forcing riders to take detours. Now, they have to stick with those detours until January. Passengers bound for either stop must pass their destination, transfer to a Manhattan-bound train, and return. Those departing the stations toward Flushing must initially travel toward Manhattan before returning. It’s a mess that wastes time and frustrates everyone who relies on the 7 train.
The MTA says they are trying to fix critical infrastructure, and they need to. But when the timeline slips by five months and the cost jumps by nearly $40 million total, you have to ask if the project management is up to snuff. New Yorkers don’t have time for half-baked plans that leave them stranded for half the year. We need a system that works, not one that keeps adding line items to the bill.
The next concrete deadline is the new projected completion date of March next year. Until then, the detours stay in place, and the bill keeps climbing. New Yorkers deserve better than a rolling budget increase and a commute that takes twice as long as it should.
This is opinion and commentary from the RapForMayor team.
