I-84 DEBACLE HIGHLIGHTED IN NATIONAL REPORT
ON CONTRACTING-OUT TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS

Report cites Connecticut public employees union members' findings that outsourcing design work on transportation projects increases costs, risks

HARTFORD—The work of Connecticut State public service employees to expose the waste, fraud, and abuse by private consultants in the construction project on I-84 in Waterbury is highlighted in a new report by the National Association of State Highway and Transportation Unions (NASHTU). Highway Robbery II details a growing array of problems -- high costs, reduced project safety, and loss of public accountability -- resulting from federal and state local transportation agencies outsourcing engineering, construction inspection and project oversight on publicly funded transportation projects across the country. A copy of the report's Executive Summary is attached.
 
"The situation here in Connecticut certainly makes NASHTU's report more timely than ever" Ned Statchen, a Transportation Engineer who oversees bridge safety inspection for the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT), observed when the report was released Monday. "News of falling trees on the Wilbur Cross Parkway combined with the numerous issues on I-84 make the case for greater accountability when it comes to protecting the safety of the traveling public" he continued.
 
Highway Robbery II includes details of the high cost and safety problems caused by the private design, construction, and inspection consultants involved in the "Little Dig" on I-84. CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 is a founding member of NASHTU, and represents engineers and inspectors working for the DOT. Members produced a report that exposed outsourcing policies at the local level, HIGHWAY ROBBERY: How Connecticut Wastes Million$ on Contracted-Out Transportation Projects, which was updated and re-released last fall.
 
"This report reinforces the need for our legislative leaders to live up to their public commitments to make clean contracting law this summer" Statchen continued, reacting to news reports that the General Assembly's Senate and House leadership pledged to enact reforms in late-July when lawmakers come back for a pre-scheduled veto session. The clean contracting law Statchen refers to was passed in the Senate and tabled in the House when time ran out in the final hours of the regular session.
 
Highway Robbery II is an update of NASHTU's highly regarded Highway Robbery, published in 2002. To ensure that taxpayers receive safe, high quality transportation services at the best possible price, the report concludes with a call to state legislators to take steps to hold private contractors accountable for the cost and quality of their work.

NASHTU represents 38 unions and associations from 20 states and the District of Columbia representing hundreds of thousands of state and local transportation department employees.  To learn more, and access an electronic version of both their new report, as well as CSEA/SEIU Local 2001's report, visit the NASHTU website online. 

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