--- In BATN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "8/30 Oakland Tribune" <batn@xxxx> wrote: Published Tuesday, August 30, 2005, in the Oakland Tribune Airport-BART monorail plan faltering Private investors may be key for connector project's future By Paul T. Rosynsky and Sean Holstege OAKLAND -- A vision to connect Oakland International Airport to the Coliseum BART station with a monorail is beginning to look more like Neverland than Tomorrowland. The Port of Oakland's constant tinkering with its airport expansion design, plus BART's lowballing of monorail costs [BATN is shocked, shocked], has put the project in jeopardy, officials say. As a result, survival of the popular airport connector idea hinges for the first time on private investors. "The only way it can be real is if there is private financing for it," Port Aviation Director Steve Grossman said. "BART needs to go out there and find out if this project is feasible." The elected BART board will know next month whether it can afford the monorail when Wall Street financiers present details explaining why private investment makes sense. Meanwhile, the Port Commission will vote today on whether to spend an additional $500,000 to redesign the monorail, now listed as one of 10 endangered transportation projects in Alameda County. If it doesn't spend the money, Grossman said, the project could be dead. When county voters supported the connector in a 2000 sales tax measure, the 3.2-mile line was pegged at $232 million. BART, which has $211 million in pocket, now says it could cost $300 million to $330 million. BART blames repeated, major changes to the airport design. In particular, a port decision last year to scrap a planned airport parking garage sent the monorail idea into turmoil. As originally proposed, the monorail would give passengers using BART a direct, 11.2-minute link to the airport. The project called for stations at both the Coliseum BART stop and in the proposed airport parking garage. Those stations would have been linked by 3.2 miles of monorail track along Hegenberger Road. Local taxes have generated about $76 million for the project. But in the years since, the port scaled down its airport construction plans by scrapping the parking garage and suggesting a third terminal bebuilt along Airport Drive. That turned the monorail project upside down. Nobody knew where an airport monorail station would go or whether the track should swing by the former United Airlines maintenance hangar, a possible international terminal. "We can get as far as the airport grounds. The question is, what happens once we get there?" BART spokesman Linton Johnson said. BART hopes to seek bids for the project in 2007 and open service in 2011. A port memo says BART needs to reissue a request for proposals next spring, but in the same paragraph states: "It is likely that it will take 1-2 years for the port to make any firm decisions on future construction of either a new terminal and/or garage." "This project has been in the bridesmaid's position waiting on the doorstep for a long, long, long time," said Randy Rentschler, spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Congress earmarked no money for the project in this year's federal transportation bill, laden with a record-breaking $24 billion in legislators' pet projects. The port lobbied Congress this year for dredging money, while BART wanted seismic money. Neither pushed for the connector. "There have been pointed questions about the commitment to this project on both sides" said Dennis Fay, executive director of the Alameda County Congestion Management Authority. The authority ranks the connector among the county's top five transportation projects. Fay said uncertainties about the airport expansion are hurdles typical of big construction and can be overcome. He said private money could save the project. "I'm more optimistic than I have been in a long time, given what I've seen in BART's financial plan. But if it doesn't work, this project will be in real trouble," Fay said. At least one port commissioner feels it is not worth the risk. "At this point, it is a waste of money," said Port Commissioner Frank Kiang, a member of the commission's aviation committee. --- End forwarded message ---