Worker Death/520 Bridge/Parsons Contract

Politicians are struggling to find funding for 520-bridge replacement after voters turndown tax measure,

Crane Worker Falls to Death at Seattle Site

Seattle - A worker at a downtown Seattle condominium construction site died in early November, after he fell 60 ft from a construction crane. The worker’s name has not been released.

The worker apparently slipped and fell when he was climbing to the crane’s cab. He was taken to Harborview Medical Center, the area’s trauma center, but later died.

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries is still investigating the accident. The inspector on the site would not comment on the accident, nor would construction workers.

The site is the 251-unit ModaCondos complex, which is owned by HMI Real Estate Inc., Seattle. HMI formed Mercer Island Resources LLC just to build the condos, says Evan Chan, HMI’s development and construction manager.

“We have initiated an investigation with Labor and Industries,” Chan says. By law, Labor and Industries has six months to complete an investigation.

“I’ve been told it will take between two and six months.” Garner Construction, WBE Inc., a Seattle-based company that provides union crane operators, employed the worker. Jackie Garner, company owner, was not available for comment.

Garner Construction has a slightly lower than average number of claims filed with the Department of Labor and Industries, according to Elaine Fischer, public information officer.

Voters Sink 520 Bridge In General Election

Seattle-area voters slammed the door on a tax levy that would help pay for transportation projects designed to relieve congestion. The measure failed by a 56 to 44% margin general election held November 7.

The proposal would have raised property taxes to generate $1.2 billion for the replacement of the 520 Floating Bridge, which crosses Lake Washington between Seattle and Bellevue. Total cost of the project is estimated at $4 billion. The rest of the necessary funding was expected to come from a toll on the new bridge, federal and state funds.

The Seattle City Council had already raised the parking and business tax to help pay for the projects.

State Governor Christine Gregoire has pledged that replacing the 520 bridge and the Alaskan Way Viaduct, which runs along Puget Sound through downtown Seattle, are top priorities. State engineers expect both would be severely damaged during an earthquake, and both have structural defects.

Unfortunately, the pool of money available from the federal government and money from the state gas tax is evaporating. Drivers are buying less gas, which is taxed to raise money for transportation projects.

Other alternatives include a possible toll on the existing 520 bridge, or a new ballot measure, that would only fund the bridge replacement, in an upcoming election.

Port Angeles Bridge Replacement Contract Awarded to Parsons

Port Angeles, Wash. – Parsons has received an $18.4 million construction contract from the City of Port Angeles for its 8th Street Bridges Replacement Project.

The 8th Street Bridges (Tumwater Creek Bridge and Valley Creek Bridge) were built more than 70 years ago and are two of the largest and longest wooden structure bridges remaining in the state. Parsons is responsible for removing the existing structures and replacing them with two new five-span prestressed concrete girder bridges -- the bridges will be 34 feet wide, curb-to-curb (12 foot lanes and 5 foot bike shoulders) with 6.5-foot-wide sidewalks on each side. Additional work will include excavation, embankment, asphalt paving, storm drainage, sanitary sewer, water main relocation, traffic control, and other miscellaneous work.

The project is slated for completion in late 2008.

Second Tower Completed At Washington Square

Bellevue - Big-D Construction completed the second 25-story tower on the Washington Square Phase I project, based in Bellevue, The project, which totals over one million sq. ft., is scheduled for completion in April and includes two condominium towers. Located at the base of the towers are ground-level town homes, garden suites, garden flats and two levels of mixed-use retail/amenity space. A four-level parking structure sits underground.