NYC subway costs

2017 article on why subway construction in NYC costs as much as 7x elsewhere. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/28/nyregion/new-york-subway-construction-costs.html

$3.5 billion/track miles vs. $450 million in Paris.

'The workers were laid off, Mr. Horodniceanu said, but no one figured out how long they had been employed. “All we knew is they were each being paid about $1,000 every day.”'

'Trade unions, which have closely aligned themselves with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and other politicians, have secured deals requiring underground construction work to be staffed by as many as four times more laborers than elsewhere in the world, documents show.'

'In Paris, which has famously powerful unions, the review found the lower costs were the result of efficient staffing, fierce vendor competition and scant use of consultants.'

25 people employed for an 8 person boring machine.

'Generators and elevators must have their own operators, even though they are automatic.'

Quadruple overtime on weekends, more than $400/hour.

'One part of Local 147’s deal entitles the union to $450,000 for each tunnel-boring machine used. That is to make up for job losses from “technological advancement,” even though the equipment has been standard for decades.'