MTA isn’t keeping track of big budget projects, sez audit

The MTA needs a better librarian.

Bundles of documents related to top-dollar transit construction projects are missing from the agency’s databases — and officials have no idea where to find them, according to an audit released this week by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority inspector general.

The IG sought all documents related to nine of the MTA’s big budget projects, including $80 million of work on the J, M and Z line tracks in Brooklyn and Queens.

Only 52% of the documents for the nine projects — including contract details, building drawings and inspection reports — could be found in the MTA’s records, the inspector general reported.

The MTA earlier this year switched to a new system for managing construction documents, but the IG found all the necessary records were not uploaded to either the old or new databases. The process to file records is also “onerous” and requires staff to follow a 64-page manual, the audit found.

“No one is held accountable for failing to comply with document retention requirements in part because no one is checking,” the audit states.

The audit further warns the lack of record-keeping makes it difficult for MTA officials to coordinate with construction contractors, which threatens the efficiency of the work.

MTA officials said they plan to implement new record-keeping practices by the end of 2022.

The MTA over the past two years has consolidated all its disparate construction work under its construction and development department — and the reorganization spurred the migration to a new database called Asite.

“MTA Construction & Development was formed to innovate and standardize capital project delivery across the MTA,” said Jamie Torres-Springer, who leads the department. “One of the many initiatives is to enhance legacy construction management systems such as Asite.”