PORT ANGELES — The cost of the Eighth Street bridges replacement project has increased by $135,929 to $24,176,069 because of change orders approved this week, but the project remains within its $24.6 million budget.
The Port Angeles City Council unanimously approved the change orders — which include the cost for deferring full completion of the project until the summer — on Tuesday. The change orders have occurred since June 3.
The twin concrete bridges that span the ravines where the Valley and Tumwater creeks flow were opened on Feb. 24 after having been originally scheduled to open in November.
Despite the delay, the project isn’t complete.
Painting of a pigmented sealer, which protects the concrete from moisture, could not be completed because of cold, wet winter weather, said Glenn Cutler, Port Angeles public works and utilities director.
The contractor, Parsons RCI of Sumner, also needs to finish mitigation work beneath the bridges, which involves removing remnants of construction.
Cost of deferring work
The cost to the city for deferring the work will be $10,000.
The project is funded by $21.6 million in state Department of Transportation grants and $3 million in city funds.
In 2007, it was expected to cost $18.4 million.
The new bridges replaced 70-year-old wooden spans that were demolished at the end of 2007. The Tumwater Creek bridge was closed in August 2007, and the Valley Creek bridge was closed in September.
The change orders are absorbed by the city’s budgeted contingency fund — which now sits at $423,931 — for the project.
The contingency fund started at $800,000 — placing change order costs to date at $373,069.
Traffic changes
Cutler said the remaining work of the bridges will begin “no earlier than May” and will be complete by Aug. 31.
Traffic will be affected when Parsons, or a sub-contractor, begins painting the sealer again.
Cutler said that the sealer work will take place on one bridge at a time. While this occurs, one lane of traffic will be blocked.
During work, traffic will be restricted to only eastbound or westbound travel, Cutler said.
Cutler said a week’s notice will be given of changes to traffic patterns.
He said work will not occur during certain events and holidays, such as around the Fourth of July and the Clallam County Fair in August.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
