Officials outline procurement, progressive design‑build approach and 2028 construction target

Program delivery staff told the joint committee that procurement for the first funded phase will use a progressive design‑build model intended to share risk and encourage collaboration with industry.

John White, WSDOT assistant secretary for Urban Mobility, said the program released a request for qualifications, expects statements of qualifications at the end of September and plans a request for proposals in November with selection of a highest‑scoring proposer and negotiation of phase‑1 preconstruction services in spring 2027. White gave an estimated value of the design‑build contract at roughly $3.3–$3.9 billion and said the program aims for substantial construction toward bridge replacement in 2028.

White and other staff explained progressive design‑build is collaborative, uses an independent cost estimator to produce transparent pricing, and allows early works on utilities and site investigations while designs progress. Staff emphasized off‑ramping — the ability to walk away if the design‑builder partnership does not meet budget or risk‑management expectations — as a control on contractor performance.

Why it matters: procurement approach, delivery method and schedule will shape contractor participation, small‑business opportunities, and the program’s ability to control costs. White also described scope elements in the phased contract: replacement of movable spans with single‑level fixed spans, three through lanes each way, an auxiliary lane, shoulders, a northbound shared‑use path and provisions on the southbound span to be forward‑compatible for future light rail.