Corey

it, I know that it was a large factor in the problems the project incurred. Over time though politicians have managed to

turn it into a scapegoat. Even if the system had caused all of the delays and extra costs, which it quite clearly did not,

at best it would mean those in charge of the project royally screwed up by allowing it to be included.

The baggage system was a major factor in the delay of the opening from the of 1993 to March 1995. The problem is that once that system was officially behind schedule, it became the catch-all bucket for delay blame. Beside the higher level issue of city leaders and project managers allowing for it to come into play too late into the project and aside from the higher level issue of the city officials and project leaders letting their hubris take over and assigning the world's most largest complex baggage system ever attempted a timeschedule that no engineer would give it, the baggage project took the flak for other delays that would have existed had it not been there. There were many construction issues steming from over ambitious schedules, late design changes, issues with getting enough supplies of materials and others that caused other aspects of the project to be delayed. The baggage system screwed things up but it was far from being the only source of delays in the project.

DIA's initial construct cost @ $5 billion. The original projected cost was @$2.75 billion (even less if you go back to Pena's irrationally low estimates… but let's be kind and not put those into play). Cost overruns from the bagggase system only account for 1/4, $500 million, of the $2.25 billion in cost overruns in the project. Most of the cost overruns were due to things other than the baggage system.

The end result is a project that was not completed on time not on budget. That doesn't change that Denver's a great place to live. It doesn't change that When compared to older cities out east, Denver is clearly better managed. And in the last 25 years Denver's carried out a lot of big projects and for the most part done a good job with them. Nevertheless, it hasn't been perfect. We just need to keep in mind the mistakes that have been made to help avoid doing them again the future.

Um, of course they are attached to the bus, it's the only transit to Denver avaiable. But I've heard from multiple sources that they want to cancel the line that would go through Westminster, Broomfield, Louisville, Boulder an Longmont.

Hopefully the drop in construction material costs due to the recession will put this budget overrun back in the green, OR one of or two Democratic senators will will request a nice econoic-stimulus earmark for Denver's RTD.

I'm sure you're aware that the primary reason for DIA's schedule delay, and much of the budget overrun, was due to the automated baggage system that United Airlines insisted upon but that the city opposed.

Nevertheless, my point was that in Denver, we have a pretty good (not perfect) record when it comes to civic projects, and my larger point was that Denver citizens have demonstrated over 150 years a collective ambition toward progress and forward thinking–DIA being a prime example–for which I am thankful.

And tonight they're lighting the lights. Something which, for me, has always sort of personified all that is great about Denver.