Told ya. Current cost estimate of the 9.4 mile Blue Line extension: $1.16 billion. Project cost in 2007 of an 11 mile extension along the route: $700 million. Funny how that happens.
And how affordable is the project for CATS? “We have to manage it very closely,” [CATS head Carolyn] Flowers told City Council Monday night. “We are balanced on the head of a pin.” Which, again, would be the point we made here back in 2007.
Bonus observation: Even $1.16 billion isn’t the complete cost. The city’s putting in a far chunk for drainage and sidewalks along North Tryon. Get some cost overruns during construction and we could end up doubling that 2007 cost projection.
