A Department of Transportation contractor working on the $567 million New Britain to Hartford busway improperly used materials imported from Canada instead of American material as required by the federal government.
According to DOT spokesman Kevin Nursick, the Canadian wall panels cost about $300,000. He said DOT “self-reported” to the Federal Transit Administration and will submit a full report to the agency.
Nursick said DOT won’t know the final outcome until the FTA reviews the report, but he is hopeful the federal government will still pay for the materials.
“We believe the noise wall system meets the letter and intent of the federal guidance,” Nursick said.
He said this issue won’t delay the project or cause it to exceed its budget. He said most DOT projects include 25 percent for “incidentals and contingencies.”