I just mentioned some of the partying down that went on at a rail groundbreaking event in Seattle. Now there’s this. The Seattle monorail will cost more than expected, and local officials have reportedly know this for months. They’re now trying to figure out how to pare down the project:
The Seattle Monorail Project is trying to pare down its plans because the sole bid came in roughly $200 million higher than expected … Cost-saving issues that have been discussed include whether to delay purchasing some trains until the ridership peaks; how to equip special “tourist trains” that cost more but might generate operating money; and how much of the line would use slower but cheaper single tracks, sources say.
Even before this latest development money was tight because, no surprise, tax revenue fell short of projections. Note the similarities with Miami’s rail experience.