Mega Projects Often Suffer From Overoptimism and Deception

The project exemplifies the pitfalls of mega transit projects, having cost $4.5 billion and being over budget by $700 million, while delivering only a fraction of the original plan: just two miles of tunnel and three new stations instead of eight and a half miles with 15 stations. This excessive overspending and missed deadlines can be attributed to a combination of unforeseen circumstances and intentional misrepresentation by decision-makers, primarily elected officials, who set unrealistic timelines and optimistic budgets without accountability for the project’s completion.