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A Resolution of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, setting forth County policy regarding the construction of a tunnel, commonly known as the North Shore Connector project.
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WHEREAS, principles of sound fiscal management mitigate against undertaking large public works projects with uncertain budgets; and
WHEREAS, cost overruns for tunnel projects are historically unpredictable and potentially very large, such as in Boston's “Big Dig” project, for which the original budget was $2.5 billion when the project began in 1998, yet for which the final budget was $14.6 billion when it was finally completed in 2003; and
WHEREAS, County Council has not been provided with specific information on additional funding sources and amounts for this project, if any; and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Transportation currently estimates the total budget for this project to be $381 million; and
WHEREAS, it has been estimated that the County of Allegheny will have to contribute three and one third percent of the total initial project estimated budget of $390 million; and
WHEREAS, the County of Allegheny does not have sufficient funding to repair and/or replace existing infrastructure and capital intense projects such as county road systems and bridges that are badly in need of repair; and
WHEREAS, there are existing bridges and systems that could be readily converted to provide comparable access to the North Shore at a cost considerably less than a tunnel; and
WHEREAS, the possibility exists that far more transportation infrastructure can be accomplished with the funds needed to construct a tunnel; and
WHEREAS, County Council would like to have the funds applied to other transportation projects throughout the county in greater need of repair and replacement; and
WHEREAS, County Council has, for this and other reasons, previously expressed its opposition to the North Shore Connector tunnel in unequivoc...
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