Tagged: 520 Bridge

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington Governor Jay Inslee says he’s “grossly disappointed” by mistakes that led to cracks in the pontoons for the new 520 bridge over Seattle’s Lake Washington. But the Democrat says those problems should not derail his plans for a transportation funding package this year.

KOMO 4 Television broadcast a story showing workers on the 520 Bridge construction project drinking on the job. Washington State Department of Transportation is launching an investigation looking into the details.

KOMO’s story caught employees walking into work carrying two twelve packs of beer on a Friday afternoon. Hidden cameras also showed several workers swigging back bottles of beer at their desks, allegedly during work hours.

The workers are employees of KGM, a joint venture firm of Kiewit, General and Manson. The company won the bid to design and build the 520 floating bridge. The contract is worth $586 million.

WSDOT Communications Director Steve Pierce says the company is highly regarded. He isn’t worried about the quality of their work.