PRINTER'S NO. 15
No. 14 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, RAFFERTY, PIPPY, WOZNIAK, REGOLA, COSTA,
LAVALLE AND FONTANA, JANUARY 24, 2007
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, JANUARY 24, 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 has begun
7 construction of a 1.2-mile tunnel project from downtown
8 Pittsburgh to the North Side of the Allegheny River; and
9 WHEREAS, The project, known as the North Shore Connector, was
10 projected to cost $362 million when it was approved by the
11 Federal Transit Administration in 2003; and
12 WHEREAS, The North Shore Connector cost projection then
13 included a 0.3-mile tunnel link to the David L. Lawrence
14 Convention Center; and
15 WHEREAS, Notwithstanding the Port Authority's elimination of
16 the David L. Lawrence Convention Center link, the new cost
17 projection for the North Shore Connector has risen to $435
18 million, meaning that the cost of the 1.2-mile river tunnel
19 project has increased by at least $100 million above the cost
1 initially anticipated; and
2 WHEREAS, The Federal Government will fund 60% of the project
3 cost as new construction funding, the Federal Government will
4 permit 20% of the cost to be covered by shifting Federal "flex"
5 funds controlled by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission
6 from regional transportation projects to the North Shore
7 Connector project, and State and local sources must provide 20%
8 of the funds; and
9 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's original
10 obligation was $60 million, and Allegheny County's obligation
11 was $12.7 million, but under the $435 million revised cost
12 estimate, the Commonwealth's obligation will rise to $72 million
13 and the county's obligation will rise to $15 million; and
14 WHEREAS, Cost overruns occur in complex construction
15 projects, especially tunnel projects; and
16 WHEREAS, The future funding obligations of the Commonwealth
17 and Allegheny County could rise by tens of millions of dollars,
18 and these increases may be beyond the ability of the
19 Commonwealth or Allegheny County to control; and
20 WHEREAS, The Allegheny County Council has passed a motion
21 that binds the council to limiting the financial exposure of
22 Allegheny County to the $12.7 million previously committed; and
23 WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States and the Port
24 Authority of Allegheny County must receive a clear and
25 unmistakable signal from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that
26 any and all cost overruns will not be borne by the Commonwealth;
27 therefore be it
28 RESOLVED (the House of Representatives concurring), That it
29 is the intent of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of
30 Pennsylvania to appropriate no additional funds for the
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1 construction of the North Shore Connector project beyond
2 whatever amount, if any, has been appropriated for the North
3 Shore Connector project as of the date of the adoption of this
4 resolution; and be it further
5 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
6 the presiding officers of each house of Congress, to each member
7 of Congress from Pennsylvania and to the Port Authority of
8 Allegheny County.
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