HIGHWAY CONTRACT PULLED FROM BPW SKED: A $69 million state contract to oversee the largest public-private highway project in the country has been pulled from the Board of Public Works’ schedule after questions were raised over Transportation Secretary Pete K. Rahn’s relationship with the winner of the contract and his handling of the bidding process, Bryan Sears of the Daily Record reports. The withdrawal of the contract with a consortium headed by Kansas City, Missouri-based HNTB comes as officials express concerns about the speed of the procurement, the waiving of standard competitive bidding processes and the relationship between the company and Rahn, who previously worked for HNTB.
METRO’s MODEST ADVANCE: For the past two years, a chorus of regional elected officials, business leaders and other advocates said Metro should get additional money only on condition that far-reaching reforms were adopted to improve the transit system’s governance and management. Although Metro is on the verge of obtaining $500 million a year in additional funding under a landmark accord, the accompanying changes in governance are considerably more modest than those originally envisioned by elected officials, business leaders and transit advocates, Robert McCartney of the Post reports.
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