Monday, October 19, 2009

Breaking News in Tacoma
Post and Beam Construction will save Millions

Letter sent this afternoon to members of the Tacoma City Council.

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To all Honorable persons,

The Dome District and a lot of volunteer citizens have been working to help Sound Transit come up with a method for the best looking, cost efficient, least view blockage and gain the best future economics.

In doing this we have four of the best design engineering firms in Washington and the USA collaborating. Two of the firms primarily work on Railroad systems around the country.

Two main estimating firms are Tacoma's Concrete Technology and McDowell N. W. Piling.

We have used Sound Transits alignment, grade and Geo technical data.

Contrary to some opinions, we have an excellent team.

I am at this time relaying to you a cost figure for the Post and Beam design we have come up with. This estimated figure is a little high but I wanted to get you this before the 20th Council meeting. We will have a lower written estimate later this week.

The estimated figure including construction costs, material costs, dirt removal, profit and contingency is $21,120,000.00 million dollars.

This is about half the cost of the Pacific Avenue bridge only. We feel Post and beam could save Sound Transit $30,000,000.00 million dollars of our tax money to use elsewhere.

We want to thank you for your time reading this and we hope you will all pospone your vote on these agreements for two weeks until we get this sorted out.

Thank you,

Keith Stone
President Dome District Development Group

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The City Council should not be voting on any Sound Transit Agreements until they have looked closely the new cost estimate. This project should not be costing so much money and Sound Transit's current design is not appropriate for Tacoma.

Sound Transit says the project will loose funding already in place, however the money saved by lowering the project costs will offset any lost grants or funding. Also, our elected officials will work hard to save any funding that might be lost due to project corrections.

The Post and Beam option being presented to the City Council is already designed and simple to build. Any project delays will be offset because it will be easier and quicker to build using the Post and Beam plan.
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