Jun 30, 2008 7:45 pm US/Eastern
Port Authority: Forget 2011 For 9/11 Memorial
Bureaucracy, Red Tape, Politics Play Pivotal Roles In Delay; Various Projects Said To Be $3 Billion Over Budget
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Bureaucracy, red tape, and politics have all played a role at one time or another, and now, there's even more delay to construction at Ground Zero
CBS
The Freedom Tower, the 9/11 Memorial and the new transit hub are all over budget. Now, there are word cutbacks and redesigns may be necessary.
It could have been grist for a David Letterman Top Ten list if it wasn't so tragic.
"Previously announced cost estimates and completion schedules did not properly account for the unprecedented challenges associated with a project this complex," said Port Authority Executive Director Christopher Ward.
The Port Authority came clean on Monday and admitted 15 reasons why the Freedom Tower, 9/11 Memorial and other buildings at ground zero will be delayed … yet again, and have come in as much as $3 billion over budget.
"The thing we won't do is allow false dates and expectations to persist," Ward said.
The excuses could mostly be filed under bureaucracy, politics and red tape.
"There are too many cooks in the kitchen," said Glenn Corbitt, professor of fire science at John Jay College. "I think in this situation, there's too many people involved. The Port Authority has been unable to get a handle on the situation."
Probably most distressing to the families of those who died on Sept. 11 is the likelihood that the 9/11 Memorial won't be able to open on the 10th anniversary of the attack.
"It would be irresponsible to continue to hold the 2011 date," Ward said.
Governor David Paterson ordered the bi-state agency to fess up. He will also name a new committee to oversee the World Trade Center project.
"We are instead going to change the culture of the way the management of this project is working," Paterson said. "We are telling the truth about the state that it is in now, and what we expect for the future."
The Port Authority has already had to pay $14 million in fines for missed deadlines, and on Tuesday will start paying another $300,000 per day for blowing another one.
Paterson said that instead of assigning blame he would ask the Port Authority to reassess the entire project and devise a "real" set of budgets and construction schedules by the end of September.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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