UTAH COUNTY, Utah – The I-15 CORE project in Utah County is ahead of schedule and under budget.
Governor Gary Herbert toured the project on Wednesday and was told it’s currently $230 million under budget and two years ahead of the original schedule.
Herbert says that, in hindsight, awarding the contract to Provo River Constructors was the right thing to do.
“When you think about the miles that have been done, we’re the largest project at the lowest cost of a billion dollar project in the history of the United States of America. So this has been a really effective and efficient use of taxpayer dollars,” said Herbert.
The losing bidders on the project were paid $13 million by UDOT after allegations that bid scores were tweaked and Flatiron Harper joint venture was cheated out of the project.
Peter Cooke, Herbert’s Democratic challenger for governor, said the whole process was flawed to begin with and should ahve been documented.
“But there was no documentation for that. For him to say this justifies the fact that we saved $230 million; nothing justifies starting with a bid that’s wrong,” said Cooke.
Cooke says the governor still owes the public an explanation as to why the losing bidders on the project were given $13 million.
