ALREADY BEEN FILED AGAINST THE
CONDO ASSOCIATION IN SURFSIDE
FLORIDA.
>> AND TRAGEDY IN SOUTH FLORIDA
JUST OVER THREE YEARS AGO THE
COLLAPSE OF A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE THAT KILLED SIX PEOPLE.
THAT KILLED SIX PEOPLE.
>> THE COMPANY THAT DESIGNED
THAT BRIDGE ALSO DESIGNED WHAT
WOULD BE A NEW BILLION-DOLLAR
SHIP CHANNEL BRIDGE HERE IN THE
HOUSTON AREA BUT THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT HAS BEEN
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT HAS BEEN
MET WITH PROBLEMS, DELAYS, AND
FLAWS IN THE DESIGN.
>> TONIGHT OUR INVESTIGATOR IS
WORKING TO UNCOVER WHEN THE NEW BRIDGE MIGHT FINALLY BE FINISHED
BRIDGE MIGHT FINALLY BE FINISHED
HERE >> IN THE BIGGER QUESTION
WILL THIS ENTIRE PROJECT COST TO
YOU? >> BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE IS
>> BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE IS
NEVER CHILD’S PLAY, IT REQUIRES
PRECISION, MONEY, AND A SAFE
DESIGN. YET EVEN THEN, PROJECTS CAN TAKE
YET EVEN THEN, PROJECTS CAN TAKE
AN UNEXPECTED TURN.
[MUSIC PLAYING]. >> IN 2018 A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE
>> IN 2018 A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE
IN SOUTH FLORIDA COLLAPSED
KILLING SIX PEOPLE.
THAT BRIDGE DESIGN ALSO CREATED
THE 1 BILLION SHIP CHANNEL
BRIDGE.
>> A YEAR LATER HARRIS COUNTY
HIRED AN AUDITOR AND THE
CANADIAN COMPANY FOUND FLAWS IN THE DESIGN.
THE DESIGN.
THEN IN 2020 WITHOUT REQUESTING
OTHER BIDS THE COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS THEM A NEARLY 25 MILLION-DOLLAR CONTRACT TO
25 MILLION-DOLLAR CONTRACT TO
DESIGN THE BRIDGE THEY AUDITED.
>> IT IS A BIT OF A SHOCKING
CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
>> JENSEN IS A GOVERNMENT DOES GOVERNMENT PROFESSION WHO
GOVERNMENT PROFESSION WHO
SPECIALIZES IN CONTRACTS BETWEEN
GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
>> WE HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY OF
WHAT GOES ALONG WHEN YOU ALLOW
AN AUDIT AND PROVIDE A SERVICE
SERVICE BASED ON THE AUDIT.
>> I AM PROUD OF WHERE THE TOW
ROAD HAS THIS PROJECT TODAY.
>> THIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER VOTED FOR THIS TO REDESIGN THE
VOTED FOR THIS TO REDESIGN THE
BRIDGE THAT SITS IN HIS
PRECINCT.
>> I AM GOING TO USE POLITICS,
IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT IS
CONDUCTING AN AUDIT AND THAT THEY END UP WITH THE CONTRACT,
THEY END UP WITH THE CONTRACT,
IT SOUNDS A LOT LIKE DICK CHENEY
BEING TOLD HELP ME FIND A VICE
PRESIDENT AND THAT HE ULTIMATELY
ENDS UP AS VICE PRESIDENT. >> AGAIN, I WILL LET THE
>> AGAIN, I WILL LET THE
AUTHORITY TO DECIDE HOW THE
PROCESS CAME TO BE.
IT’S MORE TECHNICAL THAN I AM
FAMILIAR WITH.
>> WE SPOKE WITH ROBERT TRIBUNE MIA THE MAN RUNNING THE SHOW AT
MIA THE MAN RUNNING THE SHOW AT
THE COUNTY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY
HE WAS UNABLE TO CLARIFY TWO KEY
QUESTIONS, >> HOW MUCH WILL THIS
COST? >> WE DON’T NOW AND ONCE WE DO
>> WE DON’T NOW AND ONCE WE DO
KNOW IT WILL BE OPEN AND
TRANSPARENT PROCESS.
WHEN WILL BE DONE?
>> WE DON’T KNOW.
>> THE COUNTY HAS REQUESTED THE
NEW DESIGN TO INCORPORATE PART
OF THE OLD DESIGN BUT MODIFICATIONS WILL NOT BE
MODIFICATIONS WILL NOT BE
FINALIZED UNTIL THE FALL.
WITH NO GUARANTEES OF A COST
ADJUSTMENT.
>> I HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT THE COST, EVEN THE BILLION IS
THE COST, EVEN THE BILLION IS
ALREADY A LOSS SO I THINK THEY
ARE KEEPING ON SOMETHING THAT IS
REASONABLE. WE WILL SEE WHAT COMES BACK.
WE WILL SEE WHAT COMES BACK.
>> WE HOPE IT COMES IN AT A LOW
THAT IS A WILD WAY TO HANDLE
THIS POLICY.
>> THIS JUDGE INHERITED THE PROJECT BUT THE CHANGES OF LATE
PROJECT BUT THE CHANGES OF LATE
ARE ALL UNDER HER WATCH.
SHE ALSO ADMITS THAT SHE IS NOT
A FAN.
>> I DO NOT LOVE THE PATH THAT
WE ARE ON THAN NET LESS OF --
BUT IT IS LESS BAD THAN THE POTENTIAL POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE.
POTENTIAL POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE.
COULD >> IT SOUNDS LIKE A
TROUBLED BRIDGE OVER CALM
WATERS.
>> IT IS A PROJECT THAT FRANKLY
HAS CAUSED ME SOME HEADACHES. >> WE ASK THE TOLLROAD AUTHORITY
>> WE ASK THE TOLLROAD AUTHORITY
IF THEY HAD A BID FOR THE NEARLY
3 MILLION-DOLLAR CONTRACT TO
EXAMINE THE OLD THE DESIGNER’S
PLANS AND HECTOR TELL US ME THERE WAS NO BID.
THERE WAS NO BID.
YOU MAY BE WONDERING IF THEY BID
FOR THE ORIGINAL BRIDGE DESIGN NEARLY A DECADE AGO AND HECTOR
NEARLY A DECADE AGO AND HECTOR