Hood Canal/School Bonds/DOE

Hood Canal Trusses Ready For Concrete, Road Support

Kingston - WSDOT achieved another major project milestone when it completed work on the bridge's new east truss and rolled it out of the construction hangar at Oregon Iron Works in Vancouver,Wash.

The completed east truss, which is 288- feet long, 71-feet wide and 40-feet tall, is so large that the face of the hangar had to be temporarily removed so the truss could be safely maneuvered outside. Eight hours of careful coordination brought the east truss to rest next to the completed west truss. Oregon Iron Works crews will place concrete for the roadway and reinforce the structure before the truss is transported to Port Gamble Bay in 2009.

Both the east and west trusses are 30 feet wider than the existing structures that currently connect the Hood Canal Bridge pontoons to the approach spans in Jefferson and Kitsap counties.

Each truss will be transported by barge to Port Gamble Bay in February and March in preparation for the May-June 2009 Hood Canal Bridge replacement. The replacement project – which is 87 percent complete and on schedule – will improve the existing structure, making it wider, safer and more reliable. The general contractor for the project is Kiewit Construction, Bellevue.

School Bonds Targeted For March Ballot

Puyallup – Voters will decide on a $257 milion school bond issue in March. Plans call for construction of a new elementary school, replacement of three aging elementary schools, and additions at all three comprehensive high schools.

Also on the March ballot will be a capital levy package that would pay for technology updates and facility upgrades for wheelchair accessibility and the replacement of roofs, flooring, and heating and cooling systems.

Both measures are designed to meet the most critical needs of students in the state’s ninth largest school district. The $257 million bond package proposes eight major construction or remodeling projects that would be carried out between 2009 and 2013.

DOE Considers Stricter Standards at Westpoint Plant

Bellevue – Washington's largest municipal wastewater treatment plant would follow some more stringent requirements under a Department of Ecology (Ecology) proposal.

Ecology seeks public comment on a proposed five-year re-issuance of the discharge permit for King County’s West Point wastewater treatment plant and combined sewer overflow (CSO) system. The permit is a key tool to provide critical water-quality protection for Puget Sound.

“The permit pulls together the standards and requirements in our clean-water laws and regulations into a set of conditions. These ensure that what comes into the wastewater treatment plant as sewage goes out as treated water suitable for release to Puget Sound,” said Kelly Susewind, who manages Ecology’s water quality program. “Given the public’s high interest in this permit, we’re expanding the opportunity to review and comment on it.”

The proposed permit and related information are available on-line at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/permits/ (scroll down to King County Wastewater Treatment Division - West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant).

The new standards:
• Requires more reliable disinfection of treated wastewater at West Point.
• Sets more stringent limits on fecal coliform bacteria and chlorine from CSO treatment plants.
• Adds pH limits for CSO treatment plant discharges. pH is a measure of acidity and alkalinity.
• Requires increased monitoring of contaminants in the West Point discharge and how these affect Puget Sound water and sediments.
• Adds requirements to track the input of industrial chemicals into the sewer system.

Harrison Hospital Plans $230 Million Expansion

Bremerton - Harrison Hospital has developed a capital improvement plan for its Silverdale campus that will take the facility from 44 private beds to 196 beds over the next several years.

The hospital will spend $180 million on the Silverdale expansion and the remaining $50 million will be used to expand Harrison’s presence throughout Kitsap County. The hospital’s project management contractor is CB Richard Ellis.

Washington News Callison Nabs Project For Egyptian Community

Seattle - With the growing demand for housing and office space in the greater Cairo area, leading developer Sorouh has appointed global design firm Callison to master plan and design a 42.3 million sq ft mixed-use development just outside the city center. The new Sorouh City will house 40,000 residents and provide a balance of live, work and entertainment facilities, all within close proximity to schools, hospitals and the Cairo International Airport.

Callison’s master plan for this new integrated community features 30.7 million sq ft of residential units including townhouses and apartments with 4.3 million sq ft of office space and 1.85 million sq ft designated for retail. Dining and entertainment choices in concert with lush parks, public squares and tree-lined boulevards are planned to provide a distinctive and vibrant aesthetic.

Crane Accident Appeal Settled

Seattle- – The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) and Lease Crutcher Lewis, Seattle have settled an appeal of the safety violations that were cited following the collapse of a tower crane in Bellevue in November 2006.

L&I agreed to modify one violation, and the second violation was affirmed. Lease Crutcher Lewis agreed to pay the penalty of $9,200, which was the amount originally cited, and to not appeal any further.

One violation cited the company for failing to ensure that the crane was inspected and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications. That language was modified to state that the employer did not obtain third-party oversight of the design of the non-standard tower crane base in use at its Tower 333 work site. The new crane safety law signed by the Governor in 2007 requires this third-party oversight.

A second violation, specifically not related to the crane failure, had to do with installing a sign on the tower crane that exceeded size recommendations. The violation was affirmed, and L&I acknowledged that its investigation found no evidence that the sign contributed to the accident.