The joint venture's construction bid came in at just over US$96 million, significantly less than the county's initial construction estimate of U$98 million to US$108 million.
"This excellent bid gives us the ability to complete the South Park Bridge below our construction estimate, marking the end of a decade of frustration and uncertainty," King County executive Dow Constantine. Once complete, the new bridge will reconnect the area's industrial heartland and the family neighborhoods of the Duwamish valley. The South Park Bridge was closed in mid-2010 for safety reasons.
Once the contract is executed, the contractor will decide how to stage and sequence the construction work. Initial mobilisation will be followed by construction of bascule piers, including the construction of work platforms to provide in-river access. This phase of work will take up to a year to complete.
