Governor orders independent safety review of 520 pontoons
SEATTLE -- Gov. Chris Gregoire has called for an independent review to ensure the safety of the leaking pontoons for the State Route 520 floating bridge.
The governor's announcement came just one day after KOMO News reported the findings of a Problem Solvers investigation that revealed all six of the first pontoons for Lake Washington are leaking, and taxpayers would pay the cost for delays in the pontoon construction.
The governor on Friday promised Washington citizens they would be protected.
"I have made it clear based on what I saw in your report that I want another independent expert panel to review them," she told KOMO News.
The Problem Solvers obtained thousands of pages of public records and hours of video inspections inside the first six pontoons built in Aberdeen and floated to Lake Washington.
What KOMO News found was far different from what the state Department of Transportation claimed just last month when asked about a leak in one pontoon and water weeping through the wall of another.
"That is the only leak that we've identified," WSDOT spokesperson Julie Meredith had said.
But according to videos shot in August and just released to the Problem Solvers, all six of the pontoons have experienced leaks.
The governor said she wants an expert panel to decide whether the pontoons are safe.
There is also the issue of money. The delays involving the pontoons are costing taxpayers millions of dollars, according to insiders.
The financial deal consists of two independent contracts, both with contractor Kiewit Construction, and it appears to favor the contractor over the taxpayer. Kiewit, coincidentally, was the subject of a KOMO News investigation last spring that revealed the contractors' employees drinking on the job.
For each day Kiewit runs late with pontoons in Aberdeen, the company owes the state $10,000 under one contract.
But delays in Aberdeen also means the pontoons will be late arriving at Lake Washington, and the state has to pay Kiewit $100,000 per day under the second contract.
As a result, Kiewit makes an extra $90,000 per day even though the delays were caused by Kiewit's work ordered by the first contract.
"And I've asked for a full report about, 'OK, what does each of the respective contracts call for? What's the coordination of the two?'" said Gregoire.
Kiewit Construction told KOMO News late Friday afternoon that water in pontoons in the early stages of a project like this is not unusual. The company said it is committed to delivering a safe, high-quality floating bridge.
The governor's announcement came just one day after KOMO News reported the findings of a Problem Solvers investigation that revealed all six of the first pontoons for Lake Washington are leaking, and taxpayers would pay the cost for delays in the pontoon construction.
The governor on Friday promised Washington citizens they would be protected.
"I have made it clear based on what I saw in your report that I want another independent expert panel to review them," she told KOMO News.
The Problem Solvers obtained thousands of pages of public records and hours of video inspections inside the first six pontoons built in Aberdeen and floated to Lake Washington.
What KOMO News found was far different from what the state Department of Transportation claimed just last month when asked about a leak in one pontoon and water weeping through the wall of another.
"That is the only leak that we've identified," WSDOT spokesperson Julie Meredith had said.
But according to videos shot in August and just released to the Problem Solvers, all six of the pontoons have experienced leaks.
The governor said she wants an expert panel to decide whether the pontoons are safe.
There is also the issue of money. The delays involving the pontoons are costing taxpayers millions of dollars, according to insiders.
The financial deal consists of two independent contracts, both with contractor Kiewit Construction, and it appears to favor the contractor over the taxpayer. Kiewit, coincidentally, was the subject of a KOMO News investigation last spring that revealed the contractors' employees drinking on the job.
For each day Kiewit runs late with pontoons in Aberdeen, the company owes the state $10,000 under one contract.
But delays in Aberdeen also means the pontoons will be late arriving at Lake Washington, and the state has to pay Kiewit $100,000 per day under the second contract.
As a result, Kiewit makes an extra $90,000 per day even though the delays were caused by Kiewit's work ordered by the first contract.
"And I've asked for a full report about, 'OK, what does each of the respective contracts call for? What's the coordination of the two?'" said Gregoire.
Kiewit Construction told KOMO News late Friday afternoon that water in pontoons in the early stages of a project like this is not unusual. The company said it is committed to delivering a safe, high-quality floating bridge.
I do believe there just might be enough room in these pontoons to stuff ALL of these corrupt politicians , state agencys and hired contractors inside of. If not, then tie the rest of them to the outside to keep them afloat as we know how much hot air they are full of. I also want to thank KOMO for posting the pic of that nasty, wet concrete pontoon because it was a much more pleasant view than Gov Gargoyle.
The corruption just never seems to end in this state. No wonder there's never any money for vital services.
I think the scariest part is that WSDOT tried to lie about all of this.
what a fail contract! they did this on purpose! $90,000 a day!!!! INSANE!
These pontoons are dangerous hollow concrete piles of junk . And the state will now hire independent experts to tell them that @ a cost of?? So salvage the pontoons and risk killing people or scrap it and start over???? If the experts say there useable and they fail his butts on the line too.
Iâve said it before, and this just proves it again. Everyone in Washington States DOT that canât use a shovel needs to be canned. They donât know what their job is and theyâre just there to keep sucking on the Tax Payer tit.
Poor quality design, Poor building techniques, Drinking employee's building them. Rediculous in all respects. Exceptionally poor mgmt of DOT, Finance-Budgeting, and top level (Gregwitch) should all be fired. Thats what they do at private companies that do this kind of shoddy work. Just can't wait for gregwire to go away and the next govenor to replace all these people in january .
Just curious... But wouldn't be a good idea to examine the costs as well...
Another billion bucks for Gregoire to steal out of our pockets
 @vanceox another opportunity for somebody to make an abjectly stupid post
"Kiewit Construction told KOMO News late Friday afternoon that water in pontoons in the early stages of a project like this is not unusual"
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So a leaking pontoon isn't unusual? What? Is that because of substandard work not being unusual? I would figure any flotation device should stay dry on the inside.
The article states "The delays involving the pontoons are costing taxpayers millions of dollars"
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If even one life is lost because because of these leakage problems during the actual operation
of the bridge, those millions would seem to be cheap compared to the resulting law suits against
the state, and the associated contractors. Now consider the number of lost lives that might result
if one or more of those pontoons sunk during rush hour....The cost to the state would easily run
into the billions as a result of legal actions that would result if this leakage issue is not solved now.
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Even with the use of sensors that would give alarms, the long term closure of the bridge to allow
repair or replacement of defective pontoons would still result in significant financial loses.
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That does not even take into the political repercussions that would occur if there is a leakage
problem during the operation of the bridge.
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If you haven't got the time to do a thing right the first time, when do you think that you might have
the time to do it over again?????
 @pete1427 I think that last quote needs to be attributed to the legendary John Wooden. ;-)
 @Eduardo Capistrano I did not know who the quote should be attributed
to, but it was one of the many philosophies that my late father drilled into me
and told me to that I should follow.
I agree with what oldster70 said
 @armchairquaterback Harumph.
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I don't CARE whose fault this is. Â All I know is, it is *not* the fault of the taxpayers. Â So whoever's fault it is, should be found out and they should be made to pay to do it correctly! Â And promptly--on their own dime! Â The Gov. et al., are paid to govern. Â So do it!
@Smartypants It is Kiewit COnstruction's fault. They hold the contract and I wouldn't be surprised if they did the faulty construction on the pontoons on purpose for more money.
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I stole this from Glassman's post below (thanks Glassman!) "Every day Kiewit in Aberdeen is late with pontoons, they owe the state $10,000. But that also makes the pontoons late getting to Lake Washington, and on that contract the state has to pay Kiewit $100,000 a day. So every late day, parent company Kiewit makes an extra $90,000 even though the problems started with Kiewit's other contract in Aberdeen. "
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Kiewit is banking $90k PER DAY that the pontoons don't arrive on time. Sounds to me like that is an incentive to make a few leaky mistakes and pocket some extra cash.
I want to know who the hell is writing up and approving these contracts? There needs to be provisions in place to protect the taxpayers dollars. For instance, if the company is found responsible for the leaky pontoons, they have to cover the cost of replacing them with operational ones. Also, if the pontoons are late to arrive then BOTH Kiewit contracts need to be fined. Why the hell are we paying them $90k PER DAY that the pontoon isn't on time? It is THEIR OWN COMPANY that is delaying it causing the $90k per day to just go right in their pockets. The Aberdeen contractors drag their feet and get's fined $10k per day but then the Lake Washington contractors get $100k per day that they have to wait. Since they are both the same company, their not taking a hit. They're making $90k for NOTHING.
"The governor on Friday promised Washington citizens they would be protected." Protected? What about protecting our tax dollars? "The delays involving the pontoons are costing taxpayers millions of dollars, according to insiders."
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Taxpayers should NOT be held responsible to pay for this screw up! Kiewit should swallow the load since it is THEIR FAULT.
I don't understand why the state can write contracts that allow cost overruns. The only time there should be additional costs to a project is if the state makes change requests, otherwise the contract should be solid. When I contracted for work to be done on my house it was for the exact amount and the exact expectations on the work. Yes, I made some changes and paid the extra amounts for the changes. The state should operate the same way.
@jcman The point to this is that it is the construction company's screw up so THEY should be held financially responsible, not the taxpayers. Why should they get paid for their mistakes?
 @Tattooed_Angel  @jcman It looks to me in the article that there are two contracts with the same construction company, one for the pontoons and one for construction of the bridge. If there are problems with the pontoons it falls on the contractor to the tune of $10,000 a day but if the pontoons are late arriving the same contractor is entitled to $100,000 a day for the delay. Therefore it is in the contractor's interest to make the pontoons late to the tune of $90,000 a day extra profit. What a lousy way to write contracts. They should have given the two contracts to different companies or had a clause that if the same contractor was awarded both contracts the $100,000 per day is null and void.
Chrissy....you trying to grow a sack?? Sorry, but times has expired.
Your lame dead duck for the last year "leadership" of this D-State session is over...was long time ago.
You have been, and will always be a failure as Governor.Â
Your legacy, if that is what you call it...ie-the new bridge, the tunnel, will continue to cost us tax payers tens of billions in over-runs.  So git along now little doggie...go off to retirement, enjoy your pension, and may the history books have mercy on your soul.
Oh...in case you missed it.....look at this.:http://mynorthwest.com/646/1351809/Gregoire-fails-in-report-grading-governors
When you take corrupt politicians, who are in bed with corrupt unions, and BOTH of these parties are out to glean the taxpayer for as much cash as they can steal, would you really EXPECT a quality product? I find it amusing when you drive by a roadside construction site, and you see TWO guys working, FIVE guys in hard hats, shirts and ties, POINTING, TWO people in suits sitting in a car OBSERVING, and the commuters stuck in the MIDDLE of this mess, SEETHING. THAT is why it takes so long in this state to get anything done with our roads. Too many "bosses" and not enough workers.
 @Wolfen Wel said, and the truth at best.
We built the worlds longest floating bridge in 1940. 50 years later it was sunk by bureaucratic stupidity. 50 years, and this current POC will not last 5 if it is allowed to continue. The Hoods Cannel bridge had some of the pontoons sunk due to human error. This was just simple miscalculation based on lack of direct knowledge, but sunk by human error none the less. We have proven that we can build very good and robust floating bridges. We have also just seen why any current highway project costs 10 times what it should and often does not work as intended. Look at the Mercer  street mess. There is no room for bureaucrats in projects of this magnitude. Real engineers need to be allowed to design them, free from bureaucratic interference. Build on lessons learned, and not allowing shortcuts and/or material specifications to change upon the authorization of these pocket lining desk jockeys. This project needs to be stopped. The pontoons built so far need to be broken up. New designs need to be presented by real engineers, and they need to be reviewed outside the DOT. A new company needs to be hired, and Kiewit needs to be investigated, again by an outside company. All we could expect would be a CYA from the DOT. It well may be that Kiewit did nothing wrong, or at most had minimal fault. It may be that they are the major problem, but they will never get a fair hearing from DOT.         Â
What do you expect from the meth capital of WA.? Next why would you produce a product in Grays harbor and float it to Lk.Wa. ?Â
 @Maynard G Krebbs No local citizens worked on these pontoons so what are you getting at?
 @thirtysomethingnwnative  @Maynard G Krebbs thirty is right. No body from Grays Harbor county is working on them. They were ball brought from King County, Alaska, Idaho and Oregon. I think California too.
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 @pbs7mm nice with the name calling. does your mommy know you're doing that?
So when do I get to stop paying bridge tolls for faulty work?
@Walter Pidgin
You (or rather, we) do not get to stop paying. In fact they will likely use this as an excuse to rise what we are now paying to cover the cost over runs this will incur. Â
Safeway, Top Foods, Fred Meyers, Â all selling all kinds of booze and liquor. Â Yes, indeed, Â more people getting drunk. Â If it's not pot many of these construction workers are on, then its booze. Â
Maybe the Governor should have been a little more involved when the news found drinking going on during business days at the engineers offices months ago.Google it (http://www.seattlepi.com/local/komo/article/Camera-shows-SR-520-Bridge-workers-drinking-on-job-3578609.php)
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This issue has it's roots in problems started a long time ago. Â Â
 @John Eugene Aren't the elections soon?  Better do something nice for the citizens soon!
From a previous KOMO posting:
 "Every day Kiewit in Aberdeen is late with pontoons, they owe the state $10,000. But that also makes the pontoons late getting to Lake Washington, and on that contract the state has to pay Kiewit $100,000 a day. So every late day, parent company Kiewit makes an extra $90,000 even though the problems started with Kiewit's other contract in Aberdeen. "
I hope queen Christine and the Washington State Legislature instill penalties for the faulty pontoons that recoup the losses to the taxpayers and cost Kiewit 10 times the windfall they are obviously intentionally trying to gain.
Well grab a half a rack and go down and have a looksee
I find it troubling that the only time we ever hear of problems with a project, that it has to come from the news media or a whistle blower. These are major issues that have been uncovered. Surely we have contract people in place that should have known about these problems. These employees need to be fired and replaced with ones that will represent the taxpayer. If our state government wants taxpayers to trust to trust them then do your job!!!!Â
This really makes me upset, millions of our tax paying dollars, wasted, and yet we have a budget crisis in our schools. Doesn't make any sense.
Oh, and please build a safe bridge while your at it, why do we even have to ask?
These are built so thick with concrete how are they leaking?
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@Nick Hansen I wouldn't be surprised if it was done on purpose by the construction company.
Youd think they would learn the lesson from the original narrows bridge (Galloping Gertie) by not ensuring everything is in beyond expectations rather than passable. Granted this is a floating bridge and Gertie was suspension but the end result would be the same: loss of life and engineering failure.
 @DarkRenegade You don't even need to go back to Galloping Gertie. Just go back to the sinking of the first I-90 Lacey V. Murrow Bridge in November 1990!!
The governor's announcement came just one day after KOMO News reported the findings of a Problem Solvers investigation that revealed all six of the first pontoons for Lake Washington are leaking, and taxpayers would pay the cost for delays in the pontoon construction.
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Who signed the contract that states the taxpayers would be held accountable for the builders ignorance?
Chris? Honest answer please.
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Can we expect more from the waterfront tunnel? Christine? Be honest now.
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BOHICA voters.
@bobalouie Taxpayers are on the line because WSDOT is funded by tax dollars. It seems that WSDOT is just letting the contractor take all the blame to save face, if the contractor did build these out of spec then WSDOT would have never allowed them to be "fixed" or brought to the lake where they're currently being put into place and joined. It would have cost them more to tell the contractor to re-build them due to the bad engineering/design from WSDOT so instead they've elected to fix them let it look like bad construction and save face until it is settled in court many years down the road and the public has forgot all about it. Kiewit (General Construction which is owned by kiewit)Â is one of the leading contractors in the industry and the contractor that has built every other floating bridge in the state, the state doesn't want to face it yet but they're more than likely the ones responsible for all of the cracking due to design errors.
Takes a KOMO news show Problem Solver to get action on muti million dollar project that will have many thousands lives using it daily to get on action on defective pontoons that the inspectors couldn't fine, talk about a totally corrupt project from top to bottom....
 @Windowseat That's multi-BILLION dollar project. Â
Once they knew these weren't built correctly, whether due to wrong materials, poor engineering, or whatever, they should've been rebuilt. The stakes are too high to allow inferior products to support such an important freeway.