Hmm… where do we start… or finish? A relevant question to ask as we’ve recently been reminded of myriad projects that have, over time, taken on gargantuan costs relative to initial plans/concepts. Suggestions that emerged years or decades ago but simply haven’t come to fruition. You’ve heard of “local time”? Well, meet “linger time”.
It’s not that these issues “simply” haven’t come to pass or even been started. It seems that we have a repetitive protocol to stall, avoid, table, discuss, delay, tweak, question, and committee-ize, invariably resulting in the great lag seen often locally, which invariably costs us beaucoup bucks, IF these projects/reparations ever do see the light of day.
Like the $160 million state hospital building which opened four years ago and now might cost another $35 million to retrofit. Unsafe fixtures, leaks, dubious A/C, etc. Legislators appeared stunned at the mistakes. We waited too long to ensure early or initial corrective action, it appears.
How about the decades of talk about flood control for the Ala Wai Canal and Kaimuki/Waikiki area? Talk about funny money. An original price estimate was $345 million… then $1.1 billion… and now (brace yourself) $11.1 billion. Read it in the 3,741-page Ala Wai Flood Risk Management Draft General Re-evaluation Report and Integrated Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. Surely the city and state will revisit options. We waited too long, as we’re still wondering if we’ll get that destructive “100-year storm”.
The Hawai`i Convention Center has been leaking and causing problems for years. Convention Center roof repair costs, now estimated at $64 million, will force a closure, which will obviously affect future bookings there. We waited too long… well, you know.
The State Capitol has been leaking literally under local legislator’s noses and feet for over 25 years, but leaders have apparently never seen the urgency to resolve repetitive problems like mold and the rain/pond water leaking onto vital records and electrical equipment below ground. Repairs might’ve been added to costs during asbestos removal in the 1990s, but funding was an issue. Repairs today are expected to be in the $50-$100 million range. Plus, $63 million is needed to replace the emptied reflecting pool. Water under the bridge, or the lege? Perhaps a lack of reflection over 25+ years.
There are other lagging projects, but this quartet of items has come up (again) as costs have gone up (again) and demand attention (again).
Think about it…