Big Tri-City overpass project just got more expensive. Extra $3M ‘heartburn’ for council
A complex Tri-Cities traffic project will cost taxpayers millions more to complete.
Nearly $3 million worth of change orders and new consultant costs for the new Lewis Street overpass will come before the Pasco City Council on Monday.
The project aims to replace the existing downtown underpass — a dated span built under the BNSF railyard in 1937 — with a new 625-foot-long overpass bridge.
When finished, the new overpass will feature two lanes of traffic, bike lanes and sidewalks connecting downtown to east Pasco.
The new bridge has been a headache for contractors because of its size, the amount of materials needed, BNSF project regulations and the removal of old foundations and infrastructure.
It’s expected to open to vehicles in March and mostly completed by July. The old, crumbling underpass will then be demolished in early 2025.
“Being one of the individuals whose responsible for the overall budget, and also transparency to the public, this is one that gives me heartburn because of the number of change orders and the total quantity that’s being proposed changed,” Councilwoman Zahra Roach said at the city council’s recent study session.
Vancouver, Wash.-based Cascade Bridge was awarded the contract for about $22.3 million, with a total price tag over $36 million.
Construction started in August 2021 with an initial finish date of 2023, but additional work and the complex nature of the project delayed the progress.
In all, Cascade Bridge has requested more than $3.7 million in additional funding over 27 change orders.
More than $1.7 million of that will come before the council this week. New spending will cover security fencing required by BNSF, the construction and installation of two BNSF-required signs on the bridge, installation of a new modified water service for BNSF and for traffic control barriers and signs.
The majority of it, though — about $1.5 million — is being spent to cover the time to redesign proprietary structural earth walls along the span and modifications to build them.
The council also will be asked to approve more than $1.1 million in additional consultant costs for more on-site services related to the extended timeline.
The Lewis Street Overpass project is being funded with $24.4 million in Washington state money, $8.4 million in city money and $3.4 million from the federal government.
City staff say they plan to pursue other funding opportunities to cover the shortfall. In the meantime, the city will use money from its own budget to temporarily cover the overrun.
This story was originally published November 20, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
