RTD is bringing in outside experts in construction and finance to evaluate its FasTracks cost and schedule estimates in light of indications the original $4.7 billion program is substantially over budget.

RTD is half-way through a four-month overhaul of every aspect of FasTracks. An estimate done as part of that study showed it would now take $6.5 billion to complete the project.

But RTD planners rejected that estimate, saying it is too high because it double-counted some items and overestimated others.

The new cost, due in two months, may still be over the original amount voters were told.

"It's likely it'll be higher than $4.7 billion," said Cal Marsella, RTD general manager.

A report Friday in The Denver Post said a draft cost analysis two weeks ago pegged the program at $6.5 billion.

FasTracks was presented to voters as $3.95 billion in 2002 dollars, which RTD inflated to just over $4.7 billion in actual costs over 12 years of construction. The $6.5 billion estimate is an increase over the smaller figure - without an adjustment for inflation.

RTD hasn't yet hired the outside consultants who will look over the work, but expects them to be in town in April. A final report is due in mid-May.

Problems with the early spreadsheet prompted Liz Rao, RTD's FasTracks manager, to send it back to the staff and consultants for more detailed revisions.

Among the problems, Marsella said, is double- counting some items.

For example, it attached the cost of building tracks from Union Station to 40th Avenue to two corridors at the same time, the line to the airport and the line to Thornton. But since those corridors share tracks to that point, the cost is incurred only once.

RTD planners also questioned some of the specific cost estimates. A new light- rail maintenance facility, for example, was priced at $135 million. RTD recently built one for T-REX that cost $50 million, and the new one for FasTracks would be a cookie- cutter replica.

"Materials costs have gone up, but not enough to make a new maintenance facility cost that much more," Marsella said.

RTD has blamed a spike in construction materials it needs most, including steel, copper and concrete.

Marsella said the draft-cost analysis contained anomalies that his staff asked to be solved before putting together a hard and fast new budget number.

In fact, the document printed Feb. 28 doesn't exist anymore because revisions already have been made. He declined to release the current version because it isn't complete.

flynnk@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5247