•  2003 Project Highlights
•  Evaluation Criteria

SR 290 - Trent Bridge Replacement Project

Spokane County

Design: Construction Management: Schedule: Cost: Engineers Estimate: $11,803,532 Contract Award Amount: $10,000,000 Payments made to contractor to date: $8,525,755* * A number of contract items are subject to review, therefore, no estimated final cost is being provided. WSDOT has granted additional days for the changes due to design discrepancies and adjusted the opening date to Dec. 16, 2003. The contractor has not achieved this opening date.

This project replaces the SR 290 Trent Avenue Bridge crossing the Spokane River just east of downtown Spokane. The existing Trent Avenue Bridge, built in 1917, was in poor condition and had reached the end of its functional life. By replacing it, the public will have a long-lasting bridge to serve the community for many years to come.

Two new piers will support the new bridge structure, eliminating an existing third pier in the Spokane River, which is better for fish and maintenance operations. The new bridge will be architecturally consistent with the other arch bridges in the area. The SR 290 crossing is closed for the duration of the project.

Construction Summary

Project work began in November 2001 and was scheduled for completion in late 2003.  This project is complicated with a variety of geometric challenges. The bridge is a box girder style that sits on piers with a 35° skew to the centerline, has a curved alignment and is sloping. These issues are mathematically complex and present constructability challenges.

A discrepancy in the design for the bridge footings caused some delay to the contractor as well as increased costs. Another issue was an oversized footing of the existing bridge, which was to be removed. This footing was shown much smaller in the 80-year old as-built plans than what actually existed, and removing it added cost and time to the project. In addition to these major issues, some minor plan errors or omissions and discrepancies in material quantities have occurred. These issues were resolved in July, 2003, including a revised December 16, 2003 opening date.  Generally, the plans have been adequate and of good quality.

On several occasions Ross Brothers have made suggestions which have added value to the project. Ross Brothers used an innovative falsework system that worked well for the complicated geometrics involved with this bridge. WSDOT has also provided value-added suggestions.

Ross Brothers has made some efforts in the areas of safety and environmental stewardship but have not always been consistent and uniform in the administration or implementation. However, there have been no contractor or WSDOT work zone accidents. There were two minor hydraulic spills into the Spokane River. The impacts were immediately mitigated and WSDOT required the contractor to provide an additional containment system. During the demolition phase of the project, the debris containment system designed by the contractor failed repeatedly. As a result, WSDOT temporarily suspended work and required the contractor to revise the design and construction of the system.

When workmanship issues have arisen, WSDOT has required Ross Brothers to submit new proposals to show how these problems can be fixed.

The project was scheduled to open to traffic December 16, 2003.  This opening date was not achieved.  As a result, and under the provisions of the contract, the contractor is being assessed liquidated damages in the amount of $2,988 per weekday until the bridge is open to traffic.  That opening is dependent on the completion of items critical to motorist and pedestrian safety.  Currently, the contractor and WSDOT are working to identify the critical items of work and the associated completion schedule.

Contractor:
Ross Bros & Company, Inc., Salem OR

WSDOT Contact:
Darrel McCallum, Project Engineer
WSDOT Eastern Region
Phone:
Email: mccalld@wsdot.wa.gov

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