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Grass8989 OP t1_jbo8pui wrote

“Why don’t we build better mass transit infrastructure?”

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LikesBallsDeep t1_jboumtx wrote

Because something is deeply rotten to the core in our process for building infrastructure to the point that it is just not affordable.

It doesn't have to be this way. Literally no other world class city in the world pays even a fraction of our costs.

The solution isn't to just somehow find 7.7 billion dollars for this, it's to figure out why the fuck it costs more than the 1 billion it would cost in London/Paris/Rome/Madrid/Tokyo/Singapore/Hong Kong/Beijing/Seoul/Osaka etc.

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tiregroove t1_jbp01rh wrote

>The solution isn't to just somehow find 7.7 billion dollars for this, it's to figure out why the fuck it costs more than the 1 billion it would cost in London/Paris/Rome/Madrid/Tokyo/Singapore/Hong Kong/Beijing/Seoul/Osaka etc.

Because hiring consultants to do that would itself cost $100M.

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LikesBallsDeep t1_jbp166s wrote

If they actually find a solution, worth every penny. Make the contract only pay out if they do and it is shown to work in practice.

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tiregroove t1_jbpnjq5 wrote

>Make the contract only pay out if they do and it is shown to work in practice.

That's not how consulting works though. What tangible metric would you use for 'works in practice?' Consulting isn't some low-skill endeavor you can have a bunch of interns doing. Plus the longer you wait on a project the more the price rises. Also 'get rid of the corruption' is a fun easy solution but almost impossible to implement in the scope of any NY construction project.

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LikesBallsDeep t1_jbpokgg wrote

I have actually worked in consulting. I don't see how any of your points prevent what I'm suggesting from being possible.

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tiregroove t1_jbpt8d8 wrote

ok so have you or any of the consultants you've worked with EVER taken a fee contingent upon results? And if so, how long did you wait to get paid? Months? Years??

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LikesBallsDeep t1_jbq5kkh wrote

You can pay part up front and the rest based on results.

....and yes? Lots of fixed price projects don't pay until something is delivered in production. Not everything is time and materials.

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ThreeLittlePuigs t1_jbobju2 wrote

I mean, just because we do it poorly now doesn't mean we shouldn't still try and build more and improve the process.

That being said if I am reading the subtext of your comment properly, it's laughable when the fuck cars folks just say "just ride a bike" or "just improve infrastructure" as if those things are always easy or accessible to everyone.

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Grass8989 OP t1_jbohce6 wrote

Obviously it would be ideal to create a ton of new subway stations and make public transportation more accessible, but it’s very obviously fiscally impossible.

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ThreeLittlePuigs t1_jbohqtz wrote

It's not impossible, it's just the city / state tend to be really bad at doing things intelligently.

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Grass8989 OP t1_jboi3tz wrote

No one seems to be coming up with a way it could be done more cost effectively, and with unions and regulations (which are important as these stations need to be made safely), I doubt they could cut much of the costs.

Edit: if anyone downvoting would like to tell me an actual plan that can reduce costs associated with building new subway stations feel free.

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ThreeLittlePuigs t1_jboimgv wrote

I dunno I’ve never looked into the issue that much, but it’s not too hard in most big ticket items, like stadium deals, affordable housing construction, public housing repairs etc, to find ways to do things cheaper and more efficiently without jeopardizing pay or safety standards.

I’m sure there’s a competent bureaucrat somewhere that no one is listening to grumbling about different ways to do things better around MTA construction and expansion.

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TheJoseph97 t1_jbon5xm wrote

The federal government just printed 60% of all the money that’s ever been in circulation in like 2 years

Nothing is fiscally impossible. Nothing ever has been

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