City approves $99K more for Grand Prix work
The city spending board voted today to allocate an additional $98,800 for infrastructure improvements related to the Grand Prix race.
The money, which was primarily drawn from federal funds, will be used for construction management and inspections, said transportation department spokeswoman Adrienne Barnes.
The five members of the Board of Estimates, who include Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young and Comptroller Joan Pratt, voted unanimously to approve the expenditure.
The city had allocated $7.75 million for road construction to transform two miles of streets ringing the Inner Harbor into a race course for the three day open-wheeled racing festival, which is scheduled for the Labor Day long weekend.
The city previously awarded a $4.2 million contract to contractor P. Flanigan & Sons for road work related to the race. The construction management contract was awarded to Whitman, Requardt & Associates.
Crews shutdown Conway Street earlier this week for construction related to the race and it is expected to remain closed for two weeks. Transportation officials expect the roadwork to be finished by late July or early August -- around the time Jersey walls and concrete barriers start going up along the course.
Comments
So the additonal money comes from "federal funds." Where do federal funds come from? Why us, of course. In a time of economic austerity, brought about by elected people like the Mayor, Democtrats continue to waste tax dollars on yet another piece of frivolity. One last question - who will benefit economically from the Grand Prix when it comes to Baltimore? My intuition tells me it won't be the tax-paying citizens.
Posted by: D. Romano | June 8, 2011 8:11 PM
$7.75 million for two miles of downtown streets -- yet I shot my shocks bumping to work down Harford Road every morning. Put the money where it's needed.
Posted by: Robert H. | June 8, 2011 8:17 PM
What a colossal waste of scarce federal funds!
Posted by: Mike | June 8, 2011 8:25 PM
This is a joke- all this money could of been used to help prote4ct the people of Baltimore or make the water systems updated. why spend this large amount of money for a 3 day race which is not really going to help the average citizen in Baltimore. But it will give the elected officals more money from contributors for there reelection bids. why not report how much money they will give to them Why isnt a small minority contractor awarded this project?
Posted by: Joe-Ball | June 9, 2011 7:46 AM
I'm a big fan of racing, but I have to say that this seems like a huge waste of money to me.
Do we really think we're going to make all this money back? Or that the race is going to become an annual event?
Last I heard, we didn't even have a headline sponsor...
Posted by: John J. Walters | June 9, 2011 10:14 AM
HUGE waste of tax money. VOTE SRB OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: ironhide196 | August 30, 2011 5:18 PM
Unemployment at a record high. A city that thrives on killing us with revenue fines and tax increases and now this. Does the voter ever have a choice here. We miss you Gov Schaefer.
Posted by: Jimmy Stick | September 3, 2011 9:29 AM