It is usually common that during the execution of a large project the invoice for the works becomes more expensive as unforeseen situations need to be resolved. It happened, for example, with the reform of the central section of Diagonal or Plaça de les Glòries. And it has happened again with the redevelopment of the green areas of the Eixample. The star project of Ada Colau’s second term has finally become more expensive by 4,432,231.65 euros compared to the award budget to deal with various actions that were not planned in the initial plans.
The government commission of October 5 approved the modified projects of the new squares located at the intersections of Carrer Consell de Cent with Enric Granados, Rocafort, Comte Borrell and Girona. According to sources from the municipal company Bimsa, “the modifications integrate actions already carried out in the framework of the works of the four green axes and squares, such as the integration of the old tramway and the old cobblestones that were ·locate in several sections”. They also include modifications and improvements to the new groundwater supply network and cost overruns resulting from manual excavations and demolitions, modifications to flower beds due to the presence of already existing services and cost increases for urban furniture and various elements”.
With all these arrangements the amount of the work as a whole has ended up going from the 43.07 million euros in which it was initially awarded (the tender budget was over 50 million) to a final price of 47, 51 million euros.
Some of these modified projects approved by Jaume Collboni’s government include “changes in the implementation and diversion of traffic” in the cost overrun. Municipal sources specify that under this concept are included the increases in the costs of vertical signage, painting and New Jersey barriers for the temporary deviations that were carried out while the works were being carried out. Of the four modified projects approved by the government commission, the one that has become more expensive compared to the initial forecast is that of the new square located at the intersection of Consell de Cent with Enric Granados, specifically a little more than 1, 8 million euros. That of Consell de Cent with Comte Borrell has increased the price by more than 1.2 million, and those of Consell de Cent-Girona and Consell de Cent-Rocafort, by 701,000 and 657,000 euros, respectively.
