As part of his ongoing series of progress reports into the MTA’s attempts at beefing up its security, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has released his most scathing indictment of the transit agency so far. A new report, released yesterday, says that the MTA is years behind implementing its planned post-9/11 security upgrades and may very well run out of money before completing the project.
“The MTA is struggling to bring the security of its system into the 21st Century, but the project is taking too long, costing too much, and there is no end in sight,” DiNapoli said. “The transit system is safer than before September 11, 2001, due in large part to the efforts of the MTA Police Department, but some security improvements are years behind schedule and the electronic security program may never be completed.”
The report — available here as a PDF — pegs increasing costs and a dispute with contractor Lockheed Martin as the two culprits behind the MTA’s security failures. Originally slated to cost $591 million, the project is now is estimated to run to at least $833 million. To make matters worse, the MTA has only $59 million left in allocations, and the agency will not, as DiNapoli put it, be able to “complete the project as originally envisioned.”
Meanwhile, as DiNapoli details, many of the MTA’s struggles with the security program have stemmed from a contract dispute with Lockheed Martin, the original contractor, that has led to two concurrent lawsuits. Here’s how DiNapoli sums it up:
The DiNapoli report details the problems the MTA has encountered with its electronic security program, which was being managed by Lockheed Martin (Lockheed). The contract called for the installation of video cameras and electronic sensors, including motion detectors, access control devices, and intelligent video routed through regional command and control centers. While two MTA operating agencies are now receiving some benefits from the electronic security program, three others are lagging far behind and there is no target date to complete the project, which was to be completed in August 2008.
In April 2009, Lockheed filed suit seeking to terminate its contract alleging scheduling problems and other obstacles. Several rooms where work was to be done reportedly had water infiltration and inadequate electricity; and none were equipped with computer network access. Lockheed is suing for at least $138 million and the MTA’s countersuit seeks $92 million.
Despite this bad news, DiNapoli praises the MTA for forging ahead with most of the project. The agency’s bridges and tunnels are more secure, and the Long Island Rail Road has implemented an electronic monitoring system. But the city’s buses and subways remain vulnerable.
Still, the MTA plans to spend what little money it has left on incremental upgrades and has defended its efforts in a statement. “Ensuring the safety and security of our customers continues to be the MTA’s top priority. As the Comptroller’s report indicates, we have made significant improvements to our security structure, a system that includes the hardening of our infrastructure, strategic policing and customer awareness,” the MTA said. “The MTA has asserted Lockheed’s failure to perform and its breach of contract. However, we are not waiting for the outcome of ongoing litigation to secure our transit network and will finish the project with available funds. Additionally, we have already installed more than 2,300 cameras in our subways alone and will continue our efforts to provide real-time alarms and situational awareness at key facilities.”
In the end, the subways remain vulnerable to an attack, and the MTA is facing the reality of spiraling costs and a depleted fiscal reserve. Hopefully, the authority can adequately secure its system before something happens.
10 comments
“due in large part to the efforts of the MTA Police Department…”
Can someone please tell me how 4 or 5 cops, a white plastic table and a sign that say my bag may be randomly inspected make me safer???????
The random bag check program was commissioned (and is currently run by) the NYPD, not the MTAPD. MTAPD have apparently been working in conjunction with NYPD to increase plain-clothes patrols in subway cars themselves, although it is hard to know the extent of their programs, since the NYPD is generally very tight-fisted about providing records to the public under the Freedom of Information Law.
MTA PD handles commuter rail only. NYPD TD does NYCT.
A project where Lockheed is the prime contractor is over budget and behind schedule? What did they expect? I have never once heard of them ever completing something on time and under budget.
As the prime contractor, Lockheed has the responsibility to perform site visits to locations before bidding for the project. If you don’t show up for the pre-bid site visit, I don’t want to hear the whining later about “we didn’t know, we want more money.” Granted, this project has the pre-bid site visit from hell of “Visit every part of the multi-agency system” but, the pre-bid period should have taken this into account.
Josh – I think that’s exactly what the contractor has to do. If they need a site visit to clear up ambiguities in the scope of work, that’s one thing. But if the agency supplies “assurance” that the rooms are dry, have sufficient power, and have network connectivity, the bidder is best off taking that assurance in their bid; and then requesting additional money from the agency that misinformed them. If they don’t, a competing bidder certainly will assume it to be true – and that bid will come in lower, and will ultimately win the project.
I can’t speak for all of Lockheed, but their Advanced Development Programs (defense contractor) has a reputation for finishing ahead of schedule and under budget.
The MTAPD has nothing to do with the subway and bus systems. They patrol the commuter railroads (and maybe the bridges and tunnels? – I’m not sure about that).
Does this project provide meaningful security or only security theater (like random bag checks, which are 100% voluntary)?
Bridge and Tunnel Officers patrol MTA Bridges And Tunnels. There are proposals to merge the departments.
[…] MTA Out of Money for Anti-Terror Measures on Subways and Buses (NYT, SAS) […]
[…] system. A ongoing lawsuit against Lockheed Martin has left the current state of subway security in disarray, and approximately half of the system’s 4300 cameras do not work properly. Had everything […]