WSDOT has executed five new change orders with a total value of US$42.65 million, of which US$37.1 million is with Kiewit-General Joint Venture for redesigned pontoon work.
Washington transportation secretary Lynn Peterson and SR 520 program director Julie Meredith said that WSDOT’s pontoon design error is consuming much of the SR 520 programme’s US$250 million risk reserve. One additional change order associated with the pontoon design error is expected in the next month and will likely bring the total cost associated with the pontoon design mistake to approximately US$200 million. WSDOT has also signed or identified expected change orders worth $134.3 million related to other construction in the corridor.
With the signed and expected change orders, plus analysis of potential future risks associated with the remaining US$800 million in funded construction, the agency has determined that approximately US$170 million in additional project funding is required. Peterson said the agency has identified existing funding sources to cover these costs and keep the bridge-replacement project on track.
The SR 520 programme’s legislatively authorised budget currently is capped at US$2.72 billion. The budget covers three major projects: eastside improvements to the SR 520 corridor; the new floating bridge and bridge landings; and pontoon construction. WSDOT will request authority to change the budget from $2.72 billion to $2.89 billion.
“The original pontoon design included an unfortunate and costly mistake,” Peterson said. “While the error discovered in 2012 is depleting most of the contingency reserve, we are proactively managing the remaining risks and don’t foresee the need for new funding sources to complete the work at hand and move our region closer to a safer, higher-capacity, multimodal 520 corridor.”
In 2012, WSDOT determined that repairs and modifications were needed on four pontoons as a result of a design error. In addition, all remaining pontoons required either modifications or construction using an updated design. WSDOT contractors have since completed repairs on two of the four pontoons in the first cycle, and will complete repairs on the remaining two pontoons this spring.
The new floating bridge is expected to open to traffic in late 2015 or early 2016.
