PRINTER'S NO. 825
No. 125 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY TURZAI, BENNINGHOFF, BOYD, CAPPELLI, CAUSER,
ELLIS, EVERETT, GIBBONS, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HUTCHINSON,
JOSEPHS, KIRKLAND, McILHATTAN, MENSCH, MILLARD, R. MILLER,
MUSTIO, MYERS, PALLONE, PAYNE, PYLE, REED, ROAE, SAYLOR,
M. SMITH, S. H. SMITH, SONNEY, STERN, TRUE AND VULAKOVICH,
MARCH 19, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MARCH 19, 2007
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Resolving that it is the intent of the Pennsylvania General
2 Assembly to appropriate no additional funds for the
3 construction of the North Shore Connector, the twin tunnels
4 which are slated to be built under the Allegheny River in
5 Pittsburgh.
6 WHEREAS, The Port Authority of Allegheny County is planning
7 to begin construction of a 1.2-mile tunnel project from downtown
8 Pittsburgh to the north side of the Allegheny River and is
9 awaiting final congressional funding approval; and
10 WHEREAS, The project, known as the North Shore Connector, was
11 projected to cost $362 million when it was approved by the
12 Federal Transit Administration in 2003; and
13 WHEREAS, The North Shore Connector cost projection then
14 included a 0.3-mile tunnel link to the David L. Lawrence
15 Convention Center; and
16 WHEREAS, Notwithstanding the Port Authority's elimination of
17 the David L. Lawrence Convention Center link, the new cost
1 projection for the North Shore Connector has risen to $435
2 million, meaning that the cost of the 1.2-mile river tunnel
3 project has increased by at least $100 million above the cost
4 initially anticipated; and
5 WHEREAS, The Federal Government will fund 60% of the project
6 cost as new construction funding, the Federal Government will
7 permit 20% of the cost to be covered by shifting Federal "flex"
8 funds controlled by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission
9 from regional transportation projects to the North Shore
10 Connector project, and State and local sources must provide 20%
11 of the funds; and
12 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's original
13 obligation was $60 million, and Allegheny County's obligation
14 was $12.7 million, but under the $435 million revised cost
15 estimate, the Commonwealth's obligation will rise to $72 million
16 and the county's obligation will rise to $15 million; and
17 WHEREAS, Cost overruns occur in complex construction
18 projects, especially tunnel projects; and
19 WHEREAS, The future funding obligations of the Commonwealth
20 and Allegheny County could rise by tens of millions of dollars,
21 and these increases may be beyond the ability of the
22 Commonwealth or Allegheny County to control; and
23 WHEREAS, The Allegheny County Council has passed a motion
24 that binds the council to limiting the financial exposure of
25 Allegheny County to the $12.7 million previously committed; and
26 WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States must receive a
27 clear and unmistakable signal from the Commonwealth of
28 Pennsylvania that any and all cost overruns will not be borne by
29 the Commonwealth, but will be borne by the Federal Government;
30 therefore be it
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1 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That it is the intent of
2 the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to
3 appropriate no additional funds for the construction of the
4 North Shore Connector project beyond whatever amount, if any,
5 has been appropriated for the North Shore Connector project as
6 of the date of the adoption of this resolution; and be it
7 further
8 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
9 the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
10 member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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