Abnormally-high costs of construction are draining the MTA of money and diverting resources away from other pressing needs, according to a new investigation in the New York Times. The disparity in costs between New York and the rest of the world is striking: while the MTA is spending $3.5 billion on each mile of track for the new East Side Access project, the average cost per mile in the rest of the world is less than $500 million. The Times finds blame for the ballooned cost in overstaffing as stipulated by labor contracts, and overcharging by construction companies and consulting firms. The problem of high costs is urgent in New York, where overdue subway maintenance and improvements in accessibility have become urgent debates.
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