Fixing the Mercer Mess
The Mayor’s office released this today:
Construction bids to rebuild the troubled Mercer Street corridor were far less than originally anticipated, Seattle Department of Transportation Director Peter Hahn told the City Council Transportation Committee today.
“Taking advantage of the favorable construction climate, we’re ready to move forward on this important project,” said Hahn. “After decades of delay, we will fix the Mercer Mess, and create a wonderful new corridor for motorists, freight, bicyclists and pedestrians.”
Gary Merlino Construction Company, the apparent low bidder on the east phase of the Mercer Corridor Improvements Project, submitted a proposal that came in at about $47,850,000, well under the engineer’s estimate. Overall, there is a bid savings of approximately 23 percent on demolition and construction from earlier estimates, which the project relied on as part of its funding plan. The city is further reviewing the bids for completeness and responsiveness.
The funding plan for the project is now complete, said Hahn. SDOT is requesting the City Council lift budget restrictions on Mercer funding, allowing construction to begin in July or early August. The project is expected to be completed in 2013.
The project is scheduled to improve traffic conditions by improving access to Seattle Center and Uptown, as well as the traffic route to Fremont and Interbay. The plan should ease congestion by making the traffic flow from I-5 smoother, as well as giving better access to
