The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County today voted unanimously to authorize President and CEO George Greanias to negotiate, execute and deliver a modification to the design-build contract with HRT, reducing the not-to-exceed contract amount to $1.258 billion for the expansion of METRORail. Listen: MP3 RealPlayer
Greanias explained that the contract will be modified to provide for speedier payment to local businesses that contract with HRT, as well as incentives and disincentives to ensure performance by HRT.
“There is an incentive for meeting the small business goals, but likewise there is a disincentive for missing small business goals,” Greanias said.
The board voted unanimously to approve an interlocal agreement with the Houston-Galveston Area Council for the METRO Bike and Ride Access and Implementation Plan through the H-GAC’s Subregional Planning Initiative.
All other agenda items were approved. All votes were unanimous with Christof Spieler and Jimmy Stewart absent.
In his report to the board Greanias recognized two METRO police officers, as well as an unidentified “good Samaritan” bystander, who participated in the “chain of survival” for a METRO passenger who collapsed onto the rail tracks from a heart attack. Listen: MP3 RealPlayer