Date:
Friday, June 16, 2006
Contact:
Lisa Murdock, WSDOT Communications, (360) 357-2789
Stevan Gorcester, Director, TIB, (360) 586-1139
POULSBO - WSDOT and its partners, the State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) and City of Poulsbo, are moving forward with the SR 305 widening project between Hostmark Street and Bond Road. The project adds lanes with peak hour high occupancy vehicle (HOV) designation, improves five interchanges and installs bike lanes. WSDOT awarded the project to contractor Stan Palmer Construction, Inc. for its low bid of $14.9 million.
WSDOT opened bids for the project last week and was disappointed to receive only two bids
–both higher than the engineer’s estimate of $11.4 million. WSDOT credits the nationwide escalation of construction costs as the primary factor for the high bids.
WSDOT worked closely with the Office of Financial Management (OFM) as well as the Governor’s office this week to identify where and why the overruns occurred, what the options were for proceeding with or delaying the project, and how to obtain the additional funding needed to carry the project forward as planned this summer.
After careful review of the project that has been in the works for many years, WSDOT and TIB identified funding and agreed it was in the best interest of the community to proceed with the project as planned. TIB increased its original $3.5 million grant to the City of Poulsbo by $1 million and WSDOT is providing the remaining funds through cost-savings on a previously-completed project and utilizing safety and paving funds planned to be assigned to projects next biennium.
"We are pleased to have not only the support of the Transportation Improvement Board, but from the Governor’s office as well," said Paula Hammond, WSDOT Chief of Staff. "It reinforces the significance of this long-planned project and the importance of grappling with the high cost of inflation we are experiencing."
Hammond said other options -- re-advertising the contract or deferring the project -- were not cost-effective or beneficial to the public.
For more information about the SR 305 widening project through Poulsbo, visit: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR305/PoulsboSouthtoBondRd/
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