by Gary Richards, San Jose Mercury News, 08.13.2010

Recession? What recession?

Nearly $30 billion worth of major transportation projects are under way or about to begin in the Bay Area and adjoining counties -- the biggest building boom in almost two decades.

Fueled by a combination of stimulus money, bond funds and low bids, an almost unprecedented explosion in big-ticket projects is happening across the region -- from replacing Doyle Drive in San Francisco to extending BART toward the South Bay to building high-speed rail to adding a fourth bore in the Caldecott Tunnel.

All this comes as the region is suffering double-digit unemployment, gas tax revenues are declining and an alarming number of homes are in foreclosure.

"We have never had this many projects going at any one time," said Andrew Chesley, executive director of the San Joaquin Council of Governments, which is about to embark on $1.1 billion in improvements to key roads that carry motorists to the Bay Area, including Interstate 5, I-205 and Highway 99.

"There has been little in the way of good news from this recession, but the great bid prices have meant a lot more projects are getting done."

Desperate for work, construction companies are entering bids at 30 to 40 percent under projected cost. While that has saved state and local agencies about $4 billion since 2006, it is only part of the story........read more