NBC 4 Digs Into Over-Budget Main Street Bridge
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Bridge Construction
Seven years after the Main Street Bridge closed, it is still more than a year away from completion.Published: May 20, 2009
Updated: May 20, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Seven years after downtown Columbus’ Main Street Bridge closed, the city is still more than a year away from completing a new bridge.
The cost is also ten of millions of dollars more than early-reported estimates.
In 2002, Columbus city leaders deemed the Main Street Bridge too dangerous to stay open to traffic.
That same year, Business First reported that a replacement bridge with an inclined steel arch would cost an estimated $19.5 million.
The Columbus Dispatch later reported that the $19.5 million estimate came from engineers, but in 2004, a new estimate pegged the cost at $29.2 million.
Then, in 2006, the project was bid out and the lowest construction bid came back at $44.1 million.
Now, in May 2009, with design and inspection costs included in the $2 million in construction cost overruns, Columbus Public Service Director Mark Kelsey explained, “You have a bridge that’s costing in the neighborhood of $54 million to date,“ Kelsey said.
That’s only if the project stays on budget. The city has another $5 million in funding lined up in case costs continue to climb.
Franklin County spent $12 million building the Broad Street Bridge, which opened in 1991. In 2009, that would be the equivalent of $22 million to $25 million. That means the city could have built two Broad Street bridges for the price of the Main Street Bridge.
Kelsey, who didn’t work for the city in 2002, insists the original estimate was actually $17 million—even lower than the reported $19.5 million estimate. But, he said, such a figure was premature and unauthorized, released by a bridge designer trying to get his design chosen.
“He was radically wrong obviously, and was subsequently terminated from the project,“ Kelsey said.
When asked if the city attempted to correct the reported $19.5 million estimate, Kelsey said he didn’t know. Instead, he said residents should have relied on the $44.1 million low bid in 2006 to form a first opinion on the bridge’s costs.
“There’s been a few change orders so it’s in the neighborhood of $45 million, $46 million to date, which is not bad,“ Kelsey said.
The $2 million in cost overruns, combined with $3 million for design costs and $4.6 million for inspection costs bring the total project cost to $54 million.
So what’s the takeaway for taxpayers who came to believe the bridge could be built for less than $20 million?
“There’s no good estimate until the bids are in. That’s the takeaway,“ Kelsey said.
To Kelsey’s credit, his office worked to save the city $9.5 million by modifying design work on the Town Street Bridge replacement—to be known as the Rich Street Bridge.
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Reader Reactions
I guess this bridge won’t get a glass serpent either.
First of all Mr. Wilson, How is it that you can “guarantee” that the cost of this bridge will climb to $60 million when in the same breath you say that you would not know the cost of building the bridge is. Second, the only good point that was made in this article was that there could have been 2 more broad street bridges built for the cost of the Main Street bridge. I have no Beef there. The one thing that was not mentioned is that this structure is a one of a kind bridge meaning there has been sufficient time granted to the contractor for a learning curve as there is nothing typical about this structure. So anyone wanting to know why it is taking so long that is why. The article should have made mention of the complexity of the design giving the public some idea why it is taking so long.
Lastly, if the media really wants to dive into government waste don’t just point fingers at a single bridge job. Look at all of the work going on Downtown as a whole. Town Street from Civic Center up to Front was repaved with brick pavers and granite curb. Civic Center Drive (Scioto Mile Project)with also granite curb and a new “promenade” along the river and new fountains in Bicentennial park. Oooh here is another good one, tear down city center Mall that we purchased and replace it with a park.
Seriously when will people wake up and see that MILLIONS of tax payers dollars have been mispent on this project and every other pet project over the past 9 years?
WAKE UP!
It’s high time for the people to demand an investigation into city council and the mayor!
Who knows were the rest of the money has been going for 9 years?
And now they want a tax increase?
LMAO!
NBC4 why don’t you start diggin into the records over at city hall? I bet you will find alot more than the $20K that was spent frivolusly, and now we have budget cuts? Hmm it all stinks!
Why would anyone believe that Mayor Coleman could keep any project under budget? Remember the Short North arches and the disaster that project came to be. By the time this bridge is complete, it will cost $100 million dollars.
Warm regards
I have been in several meetings with Director Kelsey and his band of theives. This man couldn’t give you an honest number if he tried. He is the worst person for this job and maybe the city might save a few bucks by offering him one of their infamous layoffs. This bridge will cost even more and I can guarantee you that when the number comes in at $60 million, Director Kelsey will blame it on the residents for not knowing that it would cost more. Like we should know the cost of building a bridge. Isn’t that your job Director Kelsey???
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