Why do cities take forever on small street projects?

[Angel Oracle]

City of Irvine started work on a simple TWO mile stretch of Irvine Blvd west of Alton and east of the 133 tollroad, closing all but ONE lane in each direction.

That was SEVENTEEN months ago.    They STILL have yet to complete half of it, AND tacked on two months for good measure.

No bridges are involved, just redoing the median and the sewer lines.

Wonderful speed that the city of Irvine goes about, regarding road projects!         

[gotbeer]

Gots to make sure people get paid.  wink wink.  nudge nudge.

[UndertheHalo]

Efficientcy isn't exactly a strength. 

[Angel Oracle]

Larry Agran lives on.

[wopphil]

This is why we should give government more power, and more of our tax dollars. They do everything so productively and efficiently. Imagine how great of a job they'll do with health care.

[Tank]

I'm sure it'll be fixed lickety split once the new gas tax kicks in this November. Thanks, Jerry!

[Amazing Larry]

On 5/24/2017 at 9:51 PM, wopphil said:

This is why we should give government more power, and more of our tax dollars. They do everything so productively and efficiently. Imagine how great of a job they'll do with health care.

Everyone here should educate themselves on how much taxpayer money is wasted ensuring that "disadvantaged businesses" receive public works contracts simply because they are women or minority owned. It's sexist, racist and disgusting. 

http://www.dot.ca.gov/ctjournal/2009-2/service.html

 

[arch stanton]

If a project is moving slowly it's either because the ones who could speed it up are profiting from its lack of speed or it doesn't affect them personally

[ABC]

12 hours ago, Lawrence said:

Everyone here should educate themselves on how much taxpayer money is wasted ensuring that "disadvantaged businesses" receive public works contracts simply because they are women or minority owned. It's sexist, racist and disgusting. 

http://www.dot.ca.gov/ctjournal/2009-2/service.html

 

Why is money "wasted"?

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I would also like to know why, as happens here frequently, the city waits until a couple of weeks before school opens to begin resurfacing work on major streets that run past schools.

[AngelsLongBall]

2 hours ago, #CF8 said:

Why is money "wasted"?

In my experience, for every box you check, you get certain "credits" on a bid. So Company A bids $100 for a job and Company B bids $120. The caveat is Company B is minority, disabled, small business, woman, veteran, etc. Company B wins the contract because after all that is taken into consideration, their bid looks like it's only $80, but the government agency is still paying $120

[ABC]

They may exist but I have not seen these "credits". I have seen specific outreach and a reserved percentage of work allocated to minority-owned businesses which isn't a bad thing. I consulted with a few business to land govt business but white business were not penalized and minority businesses did not get credits. Overall, the process to qualify for, bid and service govt accounts are a nightmare. Never again. 

Politicians need to keep the vocal minority groups/associations happy so these programs exist. You get a few minority-owned businesses in the door who really can use the break but mostly it's the well-connected, both white and minority businesses, who get the contracts.

[Jason]

On 5/24/2017 at 9:54 PM, Tank said:

I'm sure it'll be fixed lickety split once the new gas tax kicks in this November. Thanks, Jerry!

What do public pensions have to do with the road work?

[Amazing Larry]

20 hours ago, #CF8 said:

Why is money "wasted"?

It's obvious. Businesses are given contracts based on owner gender/race instead of their ability to complete the job. Therefore a less qualified contractor performs the work resulting in delays, poor results, etc...

Most of the companies bullshit their way through the process anyway claiming their wife owns the company or some other nonsense. 

[AngelsLongBall]

22 hours ago, #CF8 said:

They may exist but I have not seen these "credits". I have seen specific outreach and a reserved percentage of work allocated to minority-owned businesses which isn't a bad thing. I consulted with a few business to land govt business but white business were not penalized and minority businesses did not get credits. Overall, the process to qualify for, bid and service govt accounts are a nightmare. Never again. 

Politicians need to keep the vocal minority groups/associations happy so these programs exist. You get a few minority-owned businesses in the door who really can use the break but mostly it's the well-connected, both white and minority businesses, who get the contracts.

When I'm the spec'd vendor on a bid and I give pricing on the bid to multiple small businesses such as I described higher than the bid I gave to the govt agency and they win the bid, what do you call that? I have been told on numerous occasions that each check box is looked at as lowering the "bid"

[ABC]

10 hours ago, Lawrence said:

It's obvious. Businesses are given contracts based on owner gender/race instead of their ability to complete the job. Therefore a less qualified contractor performs the work resulting in delays, poor results, etc...

Most of the companies bullshit their way through the process anyway claiming their wife owns the company or some other nonsense. 

wrong and wrong.

they are all shitty contractors. that's why they are going after govt contracts.

[ABC]

2 hours ago, AngelsLongBall said:

When I'm the spec'd vendor on a bid and I give pricing on the bid to multiple small businesses such as I described higher than the bid I gave to the govt agency and they win the bid, what do you call that? I have been told on numerous occasions that each check box is looked at as lowering the "bid"

Maybe they have to fill the minority quota and your bid is higher than the whitey who got the whitey avail contract. Likely you got out-maneuvered in the backroom deal.

Sometimes these contracts are awarded with specific guidelines that make no sense. It could be that one of the 200 questions you answered, one of the ones which you thought were benign, actually disqualified your bid.

[AngelsLongBall]

4 hours ago, #CF8 said:

Maybe they have to fill the minority quota and your bid is higher than the whitey who got the whitey avail contract. Likely you got out-maneuvered in the backroom deal.

Sometimes these contracts are awarded with specific guidelines that make no sense. It could be that one of the 200 questions you answered, one of the ones which you thought were benign, actually disqualified your bid.

Dude, this isn't my first rodeo. They get credit that lowers the effective bid. So I raise their effective price to the City of LA, or DWP, or County or State.

You're arguing that the sky isn't blue like Lifetime. 

[ABC]

i think we are talking about two different things, cowboy. i didn't pick up on your role earlier. in reality all of the situations you and i described are common practices.

 

[Angel Oracle]

Exhibit # 1,062,000 of why guberment sucks!

[Angel Oracle]

FINALLY!    After about NINETEEN months, the 2 mile stretch of work on Irvine Blvd near Great Park is finally DONE this week!  

It's a freaking miracle!

[Vegas Halo Fan]

What happens here is that the city will lay down new pavement on a street, then two months later dig it up for sewer line placement for new construction.