July 3, 2023

Skanska has $834M bid for express toll lanes on I-405

Image from WSDOT [enlarge]

Skanska will build a new center direct access ramp to the I-405 express toll lanes at the SR 522 interchange.

The Washington State Department of Transportation has determined that Skanska submitted the apparent best value for a design-build project to create about 4.5 miles of dual express toll lanes (ETLs) on Interstate 405 in the Bothell area. Skanska’s proposal is for $834 million. The DJC reported in September that the contract’s estimated cost range was $450 million-$525 million.

(Editor’s note: This article has been updated to clarify that Skanska has not won a contract, but instead submitted the apparent best value.)

The project will add ETLs from south of the I-405/state Route 522 interchange to the I-405/state Route 527 interchange. Improvements include new lanes, direct access ramps, interchange improvements, Sound Transit Stride bus rapid transit stations, and new fish passage culverts. Connections will be made to the Canyon Park and Brickyard park-and-ride lots.

WSDOT renderings show a new center direct access ramp to the I-405 ETLs from 17th Avenue Southeast in Canyon Park. Plans also detail a new center direct access ramp to the I-405 ETLs in south Bothell, along with a new bridge for northbound I-405 traffic. The existing northbound I-405 bridge in south Bothell will be converted to dual southbound ETLs.

Skanska's team includes its Civil West division, with AECOM Technical Services as the lead designer and O'Neill Service Group in charge of quality assurance and environmental compliance. A team led by the Walsh Group and Aecon is also seeking the work.

The DJC previously reported that construction will start in mid-2023, and the new lanes will open in mid-2027.