SEATTLE (AP) — The manager for the troubled Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement project told lawmakers Thursday that the state and the contractor are still battling over tens of millions of dollars in repairs dating back to 2012, but even if the contractor declares bankruptcy tomorrow, the project could still be completed.
The state House Transportation Committee had its first chance to ask questions about the tunnel and another giant transportation project — the state Highway 520 bridge replacement on Lake Washington. Some questions remained unanswered, including, “When will the tunnel be done?”
The tunnel was designed to replace the viaduct, which was damaged in a 2001 earthquake. The plan is to move Highway 99 under the city and open the waterfront. But the massive tunneling machine called Bertha broke down in December 2013 after drilling about 1,000 feet of the 2-mile tunnel. Crews are digging a 120-foot-deep pit in front of Bertha so the machine can be pulled out and repaired. So far, they’ve dug down 106 feet, according to project manager Todd Trepanier.
He repeated his department’s previous claim that the $2 billion project is 70 percent complete but said officials still can’t speculate on a completion date.
Trepanier said the state’s issues with the contractor, Seattle Tunnel Partners, are common in complex construction projects and a dispute review board is in place to resolve conflicts.
In 2012, Seattle Tunnel Partners asked for an additional $20 million because the ground near the start of the tunnel was different than plans suggested, Trepanier said. The review board sided with the contractor on Jan. 16. The state is reviewing the decision and has not agreed to pay anything yet, Trepanier said.
Laura Newborn, spokeswoman for the project, said in an email that the state has a $40 million contingency fund set aside to pay for such issues.
Trepanier said that so far, Seattle Tunnel Partners is seeking $210 million in change orders for problems it says are the state’s responsibility. The state has denied $162 million in change orders and is reviewing the remaining $48 million, he said.
The contractor also has said that a pipe that was not included on the design plans caused Bertha to break down. Newborn said both sides agreed to bring that argument to the review board.
Trepanier also said ground settlement around the project of up to an inch in some places has stabilized, with officials monitor the situation closely. He said it was too complicated to provide a number when Rep. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, asked what the maximum allowed settlement depth would be.
