UPDATE: Seattle Tunneling Partners is declared the apparent winning bidder (the final decision will certified in January). The conglomerate earned 71,577,000 technical points and a bid of $1,089,702,000. In contract, Seattle Tunneling Group won only 38,152,000 points and submitted a bid of $1,088,202,000. Project director Ron Paananen says that, among the factors that gave STP the advantage include a three-month shorter timeline and a narrower southern portal.
Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement project director ROn PaanAt 1:00 p.m. in Union Station, Governor Chris Gregoire and cadre of state highway officials will disclose the bids for a $1.09 billion contract on the deep-bore tunnel and announce the winning construction team. The bidders—Seattle Tunnel Partners and Seattle Tunneling Group—are both conglomerates of tunneling, construction, and engineering firms that submitted proposals at or under budget in October. But details have been under wraps until today. The tunnel is considered the most technically challenging (it’s the widest deep-bore tunnel ever attempted) and riskiest component of the $4.2 billion Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project.
The bids themselves will reportedly be revealed—Academy Awards style—with the opening of envelopes, a video of some sort, and then the big announcement. Use the internet to watch it live here:
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Contracts will be awarded using a technical credit system, allowing up to 100 million possible for each of the two remaining bid teams. Gregoire will almost certainly use the opportunity to make that case that the well-scrutinized construction proposals show the tunnel is financially sound—despite the state giving away more than half of a $415 million contingency fund to bidders—and technicality feasible within confines of the total project budget.
Its time for Will in Seattle to move out of Seattle. This must be so devastating to him, that he pooped so hard, his colostomy bag ripped.
It’s a long shot, I know, but my fingers are crossed that the revival of “A LIttle Night Music” takes it.
Angela Lansbury and Elaine Stritch are treasures, and Catherine Zeta-Jones and Bernadette Peters, well…
So, the question still remains: Does the State actually have a financing package in place to cover all the associated construction costs, not to mention the inevitable cost over-runs? Last I heard, there were still roughly $1B short or something.
I do not care how you packaged it, I do not want this fucking tunnel. Goddamn.
At this point I say screw the naysayers. I live in West Seattle and this will fuck up my commute for years. BUT…I was in Baltimore recently and they have a waterfront that is completely connected to and integrated with their downtown. It’s fantastic, even though there’s nothing like the views we have here. The viaduct creates a wall between downtown Seattle and an open view on the outside world. It’s time to tear down that wall.
@5 I second what you said. Of all the neighborhoods in the city, West Seattle is affected the most due to increased transit and commute times. Having said that, I can’t wait to see the hideous Viaduct come down. Getting back the Seattle waterfront is truly priceless! None of the other plans would do that to the extent the deep bore tunnel option will.
maybe i’m not understanding what those numbers are bidding for, but they look a little low. Like they’re missing another 3 zeros. I mean, over a million is still a lot to me, but it doesn’t buy much when it comes to transportation projects.
Man, “Drowsy Chaperone” got fuckin’ robbed.
I still don’t understand this desire to “get the water front back”
For what exactly? Do you really think without the viaduct there (surface street there will still be a major thing) that its going to become this magical happy place? Seriously. I don’t get this love for the water front.
West Seattle doesn’t fare badly under any scenario. They are getting a 6-lane limited access 50-mph freeway all the way from Spokane St. to King St. For people headed to the stadiums or the Court House, this will be BETTER than the current Seneca ramp.
For people headed to the shopping district, it will be a longer trip on surface streets. Maybe they should be on the bus.
I think you lost three zeros, Dominic. Unless, the bid is really for $1.09 million, in which case the tunnel doesn’t seem so bad after all.
I thank COMTE for making my point.
Billions and Billions.
All to deliver less vehicles to fewer places with more pollution and more carbon impacts.
@5 if you live in West Seattle and you commute downtown, the Billionaires Tunnel will make your commute take longer (if you work north of Denny, or anywhere south of Denny) – source: WSDOT. All for more money. Squeal, piggies.
So the winning bidder had a grade of C-? Yeah, I’m sure there won’t be any over-runs with a starting score that high.
Just received an email invite for “a discussion on the future of transportation and the Seattle waterfront with Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen” on Dec. 14.
Suggested contribution levels: $700 Platinum / $500 Gold / $250 Silver.
Tunnel supporters, time to dig deep!!
That’s his retirement fund.
He knows Council’s being tossed out on their asses next time they’re up.