CBS2 Demanding Answers: Why Is Lincoln Tunnel Helix Construction Taking So Long?
WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A total of 120,000 drivers a day take the Lincoln Tunnel Helix and deal with the punishing toll – and construction work to repair the aging section is dragging on.
CBS2's Steve Langford was demanding answers Tuesday on why the construction has been held up, and how the delay affects the cost.
For nearly three years now, the dread of trying to get through the Lincoln Tunnel has been aggravated by overnight closures to repair the helix. The work is now at least a year behind.
"There were four reasons," said Diannae Ehler, general manager of the Lincoln Tunnel. "You know, weather was one of them."
The other there reasons, according to Elher, were the deteriorating condition of the facility, noise requirements that prompted some work changes, and a delay in work caused by an improvement in traffic detours.
"Yes, the project is running late, but there were really very legitimate reasons," Ehler said.
The helix is 78 years old, and needed concrete structural work in addition to repaving and new barriers, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The agency said it was not aware of the need for structural work when it awarded the contract – which leads to questions about how much it cost to keep workers on the job for an extra year.
"Actually we're on budget," Ehler said, "about $55 million."
The Port Authority's own website initially promised in 2012 that "work in the westbound direction to New Jersey will be done between 2013 and 2014." Last year, the Port Authority changed the language to say "westbound towards New Jersey would happen between April 2014-December 2014."
The Port Authority now says the "overall project completion is set for October 2015 (projected)."
So when will the project be done?
"Well, we'll be done with the full closures in the next week or two," Ehler said. "However, then there will be one- and two-lane closures that will probably take us through the end of the year."
But the end of the year is past the latest projected completion date, and commuters are wary.
"So it's really a question of performance, and can they meet the new deadline?" said Timothy Rioux of Toms River, New Jersey.
"Horrible," added Lisa Cocciadiferro of West New York, New Jersey. "It's just a nightmare around here."
"I think it'd be fine with everyone if we would get more of a response back, saying, why it's taking so long – just communicate,'" said Jake Smith of Hoboken, New Jersey.
So construction on the helix should be done by the end of the year -- about the same time the Port Authority will raise the tolls again, to $15 cash.
