If someone(s) tried to sell you this car,
Of course not!
... but, that's what Montgomery County MD wants you to do with the severely flawed, unsafe, supposed-to-be-brand-new, lemon, Silver Spring Transit Center.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/transit-center-report-public-at-risk-from-falling-concrete-without-additional-repairs/2014/04/29/90bdf8a2-cfca-11e3-a6b1-45c4dffb85a6_story.html
"The public will be at increased risk from falling chunks of concrete...
... But Augustine’s report strikes a markedly different tone, calling the problem “a structural integrity issue as well as a potential local safety issue for the general public.”
... falling concrete could pose a danger to some of the estimated 30,000 commuters who are expected to use the bus-and-train hub each day.
“Any dislodged pieces of concrete could pose a potential safety hazard to pedestrians walking below an area where [falling concrete] occurs,” the report says.
“... we do see a safety issue...”
Metro, which is supposed to take possession of the center and operate it when repairs have been completed ... has shared Parsons Brinckerhoff’s concern about possible damage from the reinforcement work.
Leggett said Tuesday that he’d reviewed the report but that ultimately it was up to Metro, as the county’s “customer,” to decide what to do. He said he was prepared to pursue one of two options.
If Metro decides the beam and girder issues are not urgent, the county will complete the remaining scheduled work this spring. That involves placing a new layer of latex-modified concrete on all three levels of the center to address cracks. Under that scenario, the county would turn the building over to Metro this summer for a possible early-fall opening.
The county is negotiating a surety bond — a form of binding financial assurance — from Parsons Brinckerhoff to guarantee that it will pay for any shear and torsion issues that might arise in the future.
The other option is for Metro to decide to go ahead with beam and girder reinforcement prior to opening the facility. That would push the opening into late 2014 and possibly early 2015.
“I’m prepared to go forward. We’ll do whatever they want,” Leggett said.
Council member Roger Berliner (D-Potomac-Bethesda), chairman of the council’s transportation and environment committee, said it is time for Metro to make a decision.
“I think we’re at a fork in the road,” he said. “It is time for them to tell us which of these two paths to go,” he said.
There you have it! It's Metro's decision.
In essence, Montgomery County is saying to the public (like Mr. Goodwrench): "You (the public) can pay me now, or you can pay me later. Either way (whatever Metro decides) you're going to buy a severely flawed, clearly defective, lemon. And, by the way, the 'rigourous safety inspection program', that Augustine says will be necessary in the future to prevent chunks of concrete from falling on your (the public's) heads, is going to cost you (the public) a ton."
Such a deal!
Not only does the public get a severely flawed, clearly defective, supposed-to-be-brand-new, lemon, transit center; but also, we (the public) get, at our (the public's) expense, an expensive future "rigourous safety inspection program" (that goes with this supposed-to-be-brand-new lemon) that is needed to keep chunks of concrete from falling on our (the public's) heads in the future. ... Oh! And, by the way, this fabulous deal isn't Montgomery County's decision; it's Metro's.
It was a tough decision here at BScubed deciding whether to award Montgomery County the BScubed/Patently Absurd Award or the BScubed/Brass Balls Award. It was a close vote.
Congratulations, Montgomery County, the BScubed/Patently Absurd Award is yours.
