Highway and transportation

SR 519 intermodal access project, Phase 2

Location: Seattle
General contractor: Kiewit Infrastructure West Co.
Owner/developer: Washington State Department of Transportation
Architect: Hough Beck & Baird
Engineer: Aecom
Contract amount: $67.5 million




Photo courtesy of Kiewit Infrastructure West Co.
Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. completed the state Route 519 project a year ahead of schedule by making changes to the preliminary design, such as substituting concrete for steel structures.

Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. was awarded this design-build contract to improve traffic connections to the Port of Seattle terminals, Colman Dock ferry terminal, sports stadiums and destinations in Seattle’s Sodo neighborhood.

Kiewit developed several innovative alternatives to the owner’s conceptual design. For example, Kiewit used cast-in-place box girder bridges instead of steel tub bridges and steel girder spans. The change from steel to concrete mitigated the significant risks associated with rising steel prices and the long lead time associated with steel fabrication.

Using cast-in-place box girder bridges allowed Kiewit to begin both of the bridge superstructures immediately after the substructure was complete, saving critical project time. Plus, Kiewit changed the preliminary design, using precast, pre-cambered concrete girders instead of steel girders. This eliminated extensive fabrication time and significantly reduced the high maintenance and difficulty of painting the steel girders in the future.

The project was opened more than a year ahead of WSDOT’s schedule.



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