>NJ Transit sets bill for rail tunnel at $600M with just 3 percent of the project total spent on actual construction

>NJ Transit sets bill for rail tunnel at $600M with just 3 percent of the project total spent on actual construction

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2011  
BY JEFF PILLETS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

The trans-Hudson rail tunnel killed by Governor Christie will end up costing roughly $600 million even with a big refund from insurers, according to officials who released a “bottom line” breakdown on the aborted project.

Data tabulated by NJ Transit and released on Friday show that a net of $591.4 million was spent on the project from its formal inception in the summer of 2006 through Aug. 31.

The breakdown confirms predictions by critics that the $8.7 billion ARC project, short for Access to the Region’s Core, would prove to be a bonanza for lawyers, engineers and other expensive consultants. More than $265 million was spent on “design” and “preliminary engineering.” Another $188.2 million was spent on real estate expenses, including eminent domain lawsuits and attorneys’ negotiations with property owners.

Only $22.8 million — or about 3 percent of the project total — was spent on actual construction, NJ Transit said.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/131406763_NJ_Transit_sets_bill_for_rail_tunnel_at__600M.html