Shake up needed at 9/11 construction site

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A shakeup of the management of the New York World Trade Center projects was called for last week, amid reports of delays and cost overruns.

A report commissioned by New York Governor David Paterson assessing the rebuilding effort at the site of the 9/11 attacks blames delays on a lack of high level decision making. It suggests that a steering authority is needed to make critical path decisions.

It says the site management team must be beefed up so that it can better organise movements of workers and plant.

The development, which includes five major skyscrapers, a 9/11 memorial and a major transport hub, has faced significant cost overruns.

"The dates and costs of the World Trade Center projects that the public has been told are not realistic," said Port Authority executive director and lead author of the report Christopher Ward.

"We are not going to make any of them. Nothing in my assessment leads me to believe that any of these projects won't be completed as promised. The questions are when and for how much."

Part two of Ward's report is expected in September. It will include new schedules and cost estimates.

The Port Authority and key stakeholders will continue to evaluate every project on the site and ways to build them better, faster and more cost effectively.

On site, excavation and construction for the foundations for Towers 2, 3 and 4 is well underway and the foundations and footings for the Memorial are near completion.