Jan. 27, 2005

A special publication of DJC.COM



DJC Top Public Projects of 2004



Mass transit means mass construction

By BENJAMIN MINNICK
Journal Construction Editor

Top Projects Tile
Rendering courtesy Sound Transit
Sound Transit’s Othello Station, part of the Central Link light-rail segment.

Sound Transit was the stand-out in the DJC’s list of the top public construction projects for 2004. The agency had seven projects in the list, including three of the top five, totaling over $600 million.

Even the top project, the $280 million Central Link light-rail Beacon Hill segment, was Sound Transit’s.

And more is on the way, according to Geoff Patrick of Sound Transit.

The next big contract is coming in mid-February, for 5 miles of elevated track near Sea-Tac Airport to Rainier Valley. Construction costs will surpass $200 million, according to Patrick.

A 1.7-mile segment to extend the Tukwila track directly to Sea-Tac Airport is in the engineering stage and should be under construction next year. Patrick said it will cost about $225 million, including engineering, design, construction and property acquisition.

Other Sound Transit projects for 2005 include: a rider services building at the Bellevue Transit Center, which should start construction in the second quarter; the Sammamish Park and Ride lot, slated to start in the third quarter; and the Totem Lake freeway station, also to begin in the third quarter.

Rounding out the list is the Issaquah Transit Center. Patrick said final designs should be finished by the end of the year and construction would follow in 2006.

With the final components of the Central Link light-rail ready to start, Sound Transit is focusing on what’s next. Patrick said that involves finalizing environmental studies this spring for its overall long-range plan.

After that, officials will study options for Sound Transit 2 — the next subset of projects.

“It’s time to start looking at the future,” Patrick said. “We’re on the cusp of a whole new wave of projects. It’s going to be a pivotal year for shaping the future.”

Patrick emphasized public involvement will be a big part of the planning process.

-- Jace Krause, Tim McDonald and Laura Heberlein contributed to this special section. Jeff Miller was in charge of newspaper design. Lisa Lannigan was in charge of Web design.




DJC Top Public Projects of 2004

1.
Central Link light-rail Beacon Hill segment
$279.96 million
2.
Third Runway, Sea-Tac Airport $192.64 million
3.
Central Link light-rail Rainier Valley segment
$128.30 million
4.
Sea-Tac Airport C-1 baggage screening facility
$111 million
5.
Central Link light-rail downtown transit tunnel retrofit
$82.7 million
6.
Stadium High School renovation
$72 million
7.
New Bellevue City Hall
$71.25 million
8.
Roosevelt High School renovation
$57 million
9.
University of Washington Johnson Hall
$38.6 million
10.
Central Link light-rail traction electrification
$36.41 million
11.
Sea-Tac Airport fuel hydrant system
$33.09 million
12.
Central Link light-rail train signal system
$32.39 million
13.
Central Link light-rail communications system
$29.09 million
14.
Interlake High School improvements, Phase 2
$28.31 million
15.
Clark County Center for Community Health
$27.97 million
16.
Sea-Tac Airport Concourse A baggage system
$25.39 million
17.
Yelm High School improvements
$23.27 million
18.
SR-522 widening, Paradise Lake Road to Snohomish River
$22.81 million
19.
I-5/South 317th Street HOV direct access
$22.44 million
20.
UW Research and Technology Building
$21.5 million
21.
Federal Way Transit Center
$20.96 million
22.
Monroe Correctional Facility addition
$20.67 million
23.
City of Seattle Joint Training Facility
$18.72 million
24.
Covington Middle School replacement
$17.58 million
25.
Kitsap County Administration Building
$16.88 million









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