Date:  Thursday, February 05, 2009

Contact: Phil Fordyce, I-405 Construction Manager, (425) 456-8590
Craig Kanaya, WSDOT Communications, (425) 456-8606

RENTON – I-405 Corridor Design-Builders, a CH2M Hill/ Gary Merlino Joint Venture, has submitted the apparent best value proposal of $83.6 million for the Washington State Department of Transportation’s $100 million project, to ease congestion in the Renton area. Work on the I-405, I-5 to SR 169 Stage 2 - Widening and SR 515 Interchange Project (Renton Stage 2) will begin this summer.

WSDOT determines the apparent best value by using a mathematical formula to blend the submitter’s technical proposal score and bid price to come up with the overall best value proposal.

"It is important in this tight economy to continue to invest in our highway infrastructure,” said Paula Hammond, Secretary of Transportation. “Not only are we seeing good bids, but we also see important projects getting built that support jobs now and generate a lasting economic benefit."

WSDOT has seen a trend toward very competitive bid prices this year, as a result of an increase in the number of bidders on contracts and a decline in the cost of fuel and other construction materials.

WSDOT and I-405 Corridor Design-Builders will build the Renton Stage 2 project using an efficient construction and design delivery approach known as design-build. I-405 Corridor Design-Builders will perform both design and construction under one contract, allowing crews to start construction early while the design is being completed.

WSDOT and I-405 Corridor Design-Builders expect to execute the contract in the next couple of weeks, and motorists can expect construction to begin this summer.

“We’re excited to work with the I-405 Corridor Design-Builders on this second Renton-area project,” said Kim Henry, I-405 Project Director. “The I-405 Corridor Design-Builders is a strong team that brings to the project an innovative design at an extremely competitive price. The work we do on this project will help ease congestion in the vicinity of the SR 167/I-405 interchange. Renton Stage 2 is the fourth design-build project to begin construction on I-405 since WSDOT started construction on the Kirkland Stage 1 project in 2005. To date, all I-405 construction projects are on budget and on schedule.”

The 2003 and 2005 gas tax packages included 10 projects in the I-405 corridor, an investment of nearly $1.5 billion.

The Renton Stage 2 Project area is part of the most congested section of I-405 from Tukwila to Bellevue. As part of this project, crews will add capacity on I-405 to help the flow of traffic and improve freeway access to Renton by:

Adding a new lane in each direction on I-405 from SR 167 to SR 169.
Reconstructing the Benson Road Bridge over I-405.
Building a new half-diamond interchange at SR 515 (Talbot Road) that helps reduce congestion at nearby interchanges with SR 167 and SR 169. The new interchange includes an on-ramp from SR 515 to northbound I-405 and an off-ramp from southbound I-405 to SR 515.

The project complements improvements now being built in the I-405, I-5 to SR 169 Stage 1 - Widening Project (Renton Stage 1) that began construction in 2007. The Renton Stage 1 Project is adding a lane in each direction of I-405 between I-5 and SR 167 and a lane to southbound SR 167 between I-405 and SW 41st Street, and will be complete by summer 2010. Renton Stage 2 is scheduled for completion in 2011.

For more information on the Renton Stage 2 Project, please visit: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/i405/SR515Interchange/

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