Not a lot can rival a worldwide pandemic relating to unexpected circumstances, however a buried freight railcar stole the present when it got here to the MBTA’s Green Line Extension mission delays.
“Early on in the project, we were excavating for one of the stations further south in the project,” stated GLX Program Manager John Dalton. “We encountered what turned out to be a buried freight railcar, which was not distinctive in that it was an unexpected situation itself.
“But the fact that it was what it was, it was kind of surprising.”
The previous deserted railcar was discovered alongside the suitable of method close to what’s now the East Somerville station, which can be one in all 5 new MBTA stops when the Green Line Extension’s 3.5-mile Medford department opens to riders on Monday, Dalton stated.
Checking the overseas object for hazardous supplies and continuing to dig it out took “a few days,” in line with Dalton, who described the incident as the largest “buried surprise” throughout the oft-delayed mission.
Still, he informed reporters who took half in Wednesday’s roughly 15-minute check practice experience alongside the brand new GLX department, from Lechmere in Cambridge to Tufts/College Avenue in Medford, the largest general shock was COVID-19.
Dalton wouldn’t say precisely how lengthy the pandemic set the mission again, saying solely that there was a “time impact,” however he did point out that it was the primary cause the Green Line Extension was not completed on time.
“COVID-19 affected us in a lot of ways,” he stated. “Our supply chain was directly impacted. A job like this is pulling materials from local suppliers, some suppliers from around the world, and you have a global pandemic. Regardless of where the hot spot is in the world, we’re going to feel it.”
Per their $1.082 billion contract for development of the GLX Medford department, the 4 concerned firms — Fluor, Herzog, Balfour Beatty and Middlesex Corporation — might should pay a $69,000 each day penalty to the T for every day the mission was late, Dalton stated.
However, a few of these charges could also be waived since a worldwide pandemic falls underneath the T’s “act of God” class for excusable contractor delays, he stated.
How a lot in, if any, “liquidated damages” the MBTA is owed as a part of its contract for the Green Line Extension can be a part of the closeout course of, which is predicted to be accomplished by subsequent summer season, Dalton stated.
MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo referred the Herald to a June 2021 MBTA board presentation when requested for the contractually-required completion date for GLX, and development change orders that the contractors have been searching for as a result of COVID.
An preliminary completion date was not included, however the presentation revealed that the contractors missed their prolonged deadlines— December 2021 for the Union Square department, which was completed in March, and May 2022 for the Medford department — that have been required as a part of their up-to-$80 million settlement settlement with the MBTA.
At the time, there have been greater than 130 potential change orders, that are modifications to a development contract which will add time or value, that may very well be in play.
Dalton stated the instant focus can be on closing out the present Green Line Extension, which “has been on the books for probably 30 years,” however the MBTA shouldn’t be ruling out the chance for additional enlargement on the sunshine rail line.
Built into the present contract is a design that permits for a future extension to Route 16 for the Medford department or Porter Square for the Union Square department, he stated.
“There’ll be a lot of work to be done to make that happen in either branch, but this project didn’t make it any harder than it would be already,” Dalton stated.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”