Whistleblower: Formal probe needed into 520 bridge dangers
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SEATTLE - A state whistleblower says construction problems on the new 520 floating bridge pose a "danger to public safety," and he's calling for a formal investigation.
A KOMO News Problem Solvers investigation continues to uncover on-going issues with cracks and leaks in the massive concrete pontoons that will hold up the bridge. Now the whistleblower wants the state auditor to step in.
When the Problem Solvers toured the Aberdeen pontoon construction site last month, there were already significant signs of concrete cracks in the second group of pontoons. The whistleblower, in a formal complaint to the Auditor's Office and the state's Board of Professional Engineers, says these kinds of construction problems are the result of a "systemic breakdown of engineering responsibilities and management within WSDOT."
The whistleblower complaint referred to the Problem Solvers investigation for additional evidence, while also alleging that - for the 520 bridge project - this breakdown has caused danger to public health and safety, gross waste of public funds and gross mismanagement.
It's a huge case to drop on the desk of brand new State Auditor Troy Kelley.
"We take all these complaints very seriously. This obviously isn't just a serious complaint, but it's a broad, a big issue. So that's obviously at the top of our list," said Kelley.
The whistleblower says the problems with cracking and leaking pontoons is the result of WSDOT upper management "condoning and encouraging" engineers to illegally sign off on another engineer's designs.
The complaint includes an internal WSDOT memo from the business manager for the Pontoon Construction Project. That memo uses a flow chart to show what's supposed to happen: contractor Kiewit is supposed to take several different design elements, pull them together - or integrate them - in one plan, and then produce the final design and construction plans to build the pontoons.
But the memo adds that since this hasn't been followed, it's resulted in "compromises to the structural integrity of the pontoons."
The auditor plans to investigate in tandem with the state's Board of Professional Engineers.
"We do need that expertise and it's not all within this office," says Kelley. "So yes, we would have to work with that other agency that has that expertise, and that's a key issue."
But the investigation could take time - perhaps as much as a year. The whistleblower hopes that simply by filing his complaint the governor or the Legislature will step in to act more quickly.
Completion of the $4.1 billion bridge is already delayed by about six months; it's now not scheduled to open until mid-2015.
A KOMO News Problem Solvers investigation continues to uncover on-going issues with cracks and leaks in the massive concrete pontoons that will hold up the bridge. Now the whistleblower wants the state auditor to step in.
When the Problem Solvers toured the Aberdeen pontoon construction site last month, there were already significant signs of concrete cracks in the second group of pontoons. The whistleblower, in a formal complaint to the Auditor's Office and the state's Board of Professional Engineers, says these kinds of construction problems are the result of a "systemic breakdown of engineering responsibilities and management within WSDOT."
The whistleblower complaint referred to the Problem Solvers investigation for additional evidence, while also alleging that - for the 520 bridge project - this breakdown has caused danger to public health and safety, gross waste of public funds and gross mismanagement.
It's a huge case to drop on the desk of brand new State Auditor Troy Kelley.
"We take all these complaints very seriously. This obviously isn't just a serious complaint, but it's a broad, a big issue. So that's obviously at the top of our list," said Kelley.
The whistleblower says the problems with cracking and leaking pontoons is the result of WSDOT upper management "condoning and encouraging" engineers to illegally sign off on another engineer's designs.
The complaint includes an internal WSDOT memo from the business manager for the Pontoon Construction Project. That memo uses a flow chart to show what's supposed to happen: contractor Kiewit is supposed to take several different design elements, pull them together - or integrate them - in one plan, and then produce the final design and construction plans to build the pontoons.
But the memo adds that since this hasn't been followed, it's resulted in "compromises to the structural integrity of the pontoons."
The auditor plans to investigate in tandem with the state's Board of Professional Engineers.
"We do need that expertise and it's not all within this office," says Kelley. "So yes, we would have to work with that other agency that has that expertise, and that's a key issue."
But the investigation could take time - perhaps as much as a year. The whistleblower hopes that simply by filing his complaint the governor or the Legislature will step in to act more quickly.
Completion of the $4.1 billion bridge is already delayed by about six months; it's now not scheduled to open until mid-2015.
The risk/reward ratio for whistleblowers is great. It's not for everyone, but if you want to learn how to blow the whistle from a veteran whistleblower, check out my blog: http://thoughtforyourpenny.blogspot.com/2012/06/anonymous-project-mayhem-tips.html
So why are not all the other news agencies in town on this? Seems like a KOMO deal. Just like the Times is out for the Sonics. Fire them all because Tracy says so.
@just_sayin68Â
Most of the media is too busy reporting on the Kardashians to care.Â
And Inslee is considering letting Paula Hammond stay in charge of WSDOT.
The woman is a disaster walking.
Paula Hammond needs to go. I have had enough; nothing good has resulted from her tenure.
This sooo needs to kept front-and-center to the public. Only through pressure from outside will WSDOT try and correct their errors. It's increasingly obvious that Olympia doesn't have the backbone to do anything without public pressure.
The people need to speak loudly. We have to flood Olympia w/ our voices...firing Paula Hammond, not just shifting her to another position, or giving her a golden handshake, should be the first order of business! The voters continue to put worthless, self-serving politicians who probably haven't balanced a checkbook in their lives, in charge of our lives and they will do nothing but want another study, another consultation, another...another...waste of money! Stop the trainwreck! Call, email, fax, your state reps and the governor. THEY WORK FOR US ! I also agree w/ NEVER driving 520 again. We haven't in years and I will do everything in my power to avoid it!
Move along...these are not the leaking pontoons your looking for...
This entire project needs to be scrubbed and re-evaluated before it becomes more of a black hole for our tax dollars.... SHUT IT DOWN .... and fire the project management and send this to a set of engineers who will do the job right and not compromise! We are paying for it and as a Taxpayer of WA state I demand accountability here and NOW! ... Not after we are stuck with an inferior build replacement bridge that engineers from decades ago built to LAST... instead of the present ones who see $$$ for getting things done ahead of schedule... if WSDOT cannot do the job then the army core of engineers should take over this entire project !
Dear Gov Inslee, Â Please fire Paula Hammond today. Â This is unacceptable. Â She has made a debacle of transportation issues in Washington. Â This "non-action" on 520 is inexcusable. Â
Dear Gov Inslee, Â Please fire Paula Hammond today, and put a stop to this project continuing until a full engineering reveiw can be completed by an independent engineering firm.
Thank you..
Fixing stupid in Washington state starts with the voters which I see as highly unlikely any time soon....
@Windowseat I couldn't agree with you more!
@Windowseat Unfortunate, but true.
Just make sure that those conducting the âindependentâ investigation into this donât have some financial or professional tie to WSDOT, the contractor, or the many other consultants on this project.Their bread and butter could be threatened by being professionally blacklisted in this State if they produce findings that impact the bottom line of the many powerful interests making huge profits on this project through change orders.
 I make this public pledge: I will NEVER, in my life, drive the 520 bridge. Driving on this bridge would encourage government waste, and would make me part of the problem and not the solution.
Let this project "crash & burn". Â
Looks like Inslee is continuing Gregoire's lack of leadership on this issue. We are so stupid.
@70MonteCarlo Everyone that voted for him wanted the grab your ankles and bend over dance to continue. It makes me sick
@70MonteCarlo Yeah, he has been in office now several weeks and this bridge should have been redesigned and completed by now. Great logic.
@northwestsurfer @70MonteCarlo He should at least START doing something about it immediately. Instead he keeps babbling a bunch of nonsense about green jobs and some kooky jobs bill he wants to pass. He's just another progressive idiot.
Good luck. Â I hope this leads to some transparency in the QC process; sounds like there really are some serious problems. Â Can't wait for the Alaskan Way tunnel project to get going....I'm sure THAT will go well. Â Oh yeah, the drill is already broken, and they haven't even started drilling yet. Â Ca ching!!!!
This firm already had a bad track record and yet they got picked for this project. Pure genius....
@Citizen#3457899654 Just like the company operating the "good to go" process, that had problems with a prior program. This state has a real problem when it contracts for services.
There's only one reason supervisors would be signing off on poor quality subcontractor work,MONEY
I know what it is like being on the inside and watching money flushed down the toilet by complete incompetence in government management. I tried to point out examples of sloppy and inept workmanship in database efforts with proof but every time I got my head symbolical slammed into the toilet. I was even pushed to lie in covering up their misuse of federal funds given to state government. So this is no surprise regarding the bridge. Â
Government exists to serve government, much in the same way private industry is in business to serve private industry.  And both sectors will not hesitate to stick to the public when ever they the chance, the former supported by Democrats, the latter by Republicans, while the public continues to get screwed by both.  I am fairly liberal on social issues, middle of the road on guns, but a harsh conservative on government and its inability to serve the people with anything much more than a heavy tax burden. And, yet, no political party really fits my bill.Â
It will interesting to see if our new governor will do or say anything. I highly doubt it.
Other than sounding off here to articles.. what else can the 'people' do to get something accomplished and accounted for~ so that 'we' the ''people' don't have to pay a @#$king cent for this #%it????
@Aras One thing you could do is to STOP using the bridge, and encourage all your friends & family to do the same.  Once the state sees their precious toll revenue drop like a rock, they might be forced to wake up.
A show of  'gesture politics' to Olympia (like the proverbial middle finger) WOULD get noticed. Imagine for one minute, if on July 4th NOBODY DROVE ON THE BRIDGE, and no tolls were collected.  Think they would notice?  I think that would be great... make July 4th the NO 520 day!
@K. Coleman People did stop using the bridge.  Now that the revenues are down all the state sees id where are we going to get more revenue?  Oh yeah, I 90 and 405.
They don't see the problem they only see a way to take more money from the people. Â And what is worse is that we will never have a option to elect anyone that is any different from those in office now.
@K. Coleman That certainly would be awesome if people would comply.. but they won't!
@Aras If people actually hound our reps and the governor's office it may start greasing the skids for something to be done. No guarantee, but maybe.
Simple fix...get rid of the whisleblower. Throw away the complaint. Biz as usual. Next?
@Ivory Tower We need a sarcasm font! :)
On behalf all viewers I would like to thank KOMO for their vigilance. This is about more than money - what if the bridge suddenly sinks in the middle of rush hour. KOMO is saving thousands of lives with this series of exposes.
@KOMO_Sapiens So this is what it comes down to. The bridge sinking?  Come on people it is not going to sink and it will be safe. This is witch hunt on KOMO's part.
@KOMO_Sapiens That will never happen. Has any floating bridge ever just up and sunk?Â
Oh. wait. I-90......
@A.V. @KOMO_Sapiens Hood Canal
This is going to end up badly for taxpayers.
@Man Seveneleven It already has, with Kiewit stripping the state of something like $90,000 for every delayed pontoon that they themselves delay.
It always does.. Especially in this state!
We have heard nothing about more and more problems with those pontoons that Kiewit and to date NOTHING has been done about it. Those pontoons should be returned and Kiewit made to replace them without the cracks and other faults the current ones now have. Instead Kiewit's cronies in Olympia are continuing to pay for crap which will continue costing us more and more during their service life.
This should be "Madam Quagmire's" legacy that everyone "remembers" Thank you Christine!
Not to worry worry though! It's gonna be business as usual in Olympia! tax tax tax tax... spend spend spend spend spend spend.. And the only thing that our new governor and his cronies are going to work on are new and more inovative ways to take more money from us in order to cover these cost overages that "WE the people are on the hook for" This is complete CR@P!
@Handsup70Â However we can make change through a slow process of consumerism. Â Watch what bills we are being manipulated into passing. Â NO MORE FUNDING OF CORPORATIONS...keep your money.
Totally agree!
Unfortunately, the blind masses here in the state of Washington really enjoy getting bent over the fence. Nothing will change until people can start voting smarter!
They reports that have been coming out for the last year on this bridge should have called for an investigation. Â Â The contractor's engineers and DOT drinking on the job, DOT denied their end, the cracks in the pontoons that have been pictured in the news repeatedly and said to be over the legal size for acceptance, and the contracting company and their history of being investigated. Â And we needed a whistleblower???? Â The contract and its penalties are costing the taxpayer millions upon millions in fines for delays. Â And now it appears it may cost us billions. Â The is a total mess that the public saw coming for months! Â Who is in charge of this project and who needs to be fired!??? Â The public is sick of paying for goofballs who cant do or are refusing to do their job!
I have been following this for sometime now. With all these problems, why is the state allowing this to continue? Why are they letting faulty products be built to only repair later? Who's job is it to step up and shut down the junk being built? Who cares about the delays when public safety SHOULD COME FIRST!!!!!!
The people you are wanting to step up are the ones who are doing this. You donât see anyone being fired do you? The people raping the tax payers are having a great laugh at just how easy it is to pull this off.
Bla bla bla. So the tax payers bend over and get it again. They deserve it. No one will lose their job over this and the voters who scream will vote the same morons back into office again.
nice to finally read comments that arent bashing on Kewitt Construction...My dad worked for them for several years while I was growing up..When this story first aired I asked him "wth happened with Kewitt they use to be one the best around".  his reply was that" Kewitt may or may not be doing proper job, I dont know for sure I havent worked for them in years. But there is always an inspector, some sort of superior to Kewitt signing off on the work thats being done"  He went  on to tell me stories of how they had to turn away a concrete truck because it sat there 2 or 3 minutes too long, how they had to re lay rebar if it was 1/8 of inch off...How someone was there inspecting the quality of their work to ensure our safety...Where is this person/people today????....
The inspectors have been off loaded overseas
That's big business for you! They need those big bonus checks at the end of every quarter to buy their 25th vacation home in the Bahamas.