Quote:
Originally Posted by swisher
Sidewalks are expensive. Concrete is expensive. Engineering designs are expensive. Construction companies are expensive. Get over it. These projects must be awarded to the LOWEST BIDDER, BY LAW. There are standards the city has for these things, so it is not some knucklehead contractor doing this kind of work. Then there is the street issue. Do you put sidewalks on a street that is planned to be torn up, and then have to remove the sidewalks, in a year or two, or do you do it all at once. For years this city has granted variances to developers to build their projects without sidewalks, but that does not happen now, it is a requirement of our new code. That is why we need sidewalks all across this city, because we allowed developers to eliminate them and we did not make this a priority in our development standards and future infrastructure investments.
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I don't know what the "sidewalks are expensive" mafia is on but there is no point in arguing re. Monty Python, is,isn't,is,isn't... Negation is not argument.
Lowest Bidder By Law - now there is the trick. Who is the lowest bidder if the requirements for bidding eliminate any real competition. It happens all the time, even here (Citadel Construction). Knowing that your bid will be the only one acceptable by bid requirement allows plenty of room to pad the bill.
Standards ? Ask anyone doing construction work around here in the 70's or 80's about city inspectors getting fat envelopes to approve everything and anything. I'm sure that's changed.
Finally, something we agree on, past city councils [usually developers (John Stokes and the infamous family council) or builders] sold us out.
Don't know what you mean about building sidewalks only to have them removed soon thereafter. Has there been a plan to widen Chestnut for the last 40 years or so that has been repeatedly delayed at the last minute ?
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