Construction Projects

MURRAY MORGAN BRIDGE

PCL Construction was awarded the rehabilitation of the historic bridge over the Foss Waterway in Tacoma, at a cost of $57 million. The restoration meets all safety requirements for vehicle and pedestrian traffic, and it honors the bridge’s past by restoring the original drawbridge, machinery and paint color to reflect its original character 99 years ago.

We don’t know what Murray did to have a bridge named after him, but we hope it was saving a box of puppies from a burning building. Because anybody who does that deserves their own bridge.

PCL PRECAST YARD

People around the Sound are going places. And that’s getting easier thanks to the laborers working on Sound Transit’s South 200th Light Rail Link Extension. The 1.6-mile rail extension project, from SeaTac Airport to Angle Lake, was awarded to PCL Construction. The $383.2-million project opened for service in the fall of 2016. The 35-ton segments of the elevated rail system were precast at PCL’s casting yard in Enumclaw, WA.

Why is something made up of 35-ton segments called light rail? It’s a mystery. Like jumbo shrimp, or big bikers named Tiny.

SEATTLE SEAWALL

No, it’s not a nickname for the Seahawks O-line. It’s the barrier between downtown Seattle and Elliott Bay. And it needs work.

A joint venture between Mortenson Construction and Manson Construction, it will replace Seattle’s crumbling downtown seawall. A $290-million bond measure will fund replacement of 3,700 feet of seawall. The new seawall is critical to protect infrastructure and utilities. It will also enhance sea life habitat and meet seismic standards, and is projected to last more than 75 years. Completion is expected by summer 2017. Hopefully the ’Hawks will have their O-line shored up by then, too.

BLOCK 2030 – CIRRUS APARTMENTS

Sellen Construction recently completed a 40-story, 355-unit high-rise apartment complex known as the Cirrus Apartments at 8th Avenue and Lenora Street in downtown Seattle. We hear the views are almost as breathtaking as the rent.

SR-16/15 INTERCHANGE

WSDOT awarded the transportation project to Mowat Construction for $74.7 million. The SR16/I5 Eastbound Nalley Valley project began construction in late 2011 and completed its last major milestone in August 2014. And, no, there is no more fun Tacoma-area name to say than Nalley Valley.

SR-99 TUNNEL

And then there’s Big Bertha. Seattle Tunnel Partners—a joint venture of Dragados USA and Tutor Perini Corporation—was chosen to design and build the world’s largest bored tunnel, under the city of Seattle. The contracting team also includes Frank Coluccio Construction, Mowat Construction, HNTB Corporation and Intecsa-Inarsa.

Some have called this project late and over budget. We call it job security.