The estimated cost to build the North Spokane Corridor, commonly known as the north-south freeway continues to soar above previous projections, but by how much wont become clear until around the end of November.


Thats when the Washington state Department of Transportation expects to release its latest construction cost estimates for that 10.2-mile, four-lane freeway between Interstate 90 and U.S. 395. Work is under way north of Francis Avenue on the thoroughfare, which eventually will extend northwest from near the Thor-Freya exit on I-90 to just south of the Wandermere Golf Course, at U.S. 395.


The DOT released its most recent cost estimate for the project two years ago. At that time it was projected it would cost $2.2 billion over the anticipated 20 years it could take to complete the project, or $1.4 billion in 2004 dollars, says Larry Larson, the DOT engineer overseeing the North Spokane Corridor project.


Those estimates will be higherand likely much higherwhen the new numbers are released, says Larson.


Two years ago we paid a reasonable price for asphalt at about $35 a ton, but now its up to $75 to $80 a ton, he says, and the same thing is happening with concrete and steel.


DOT officials will meet in Spokane with other transportation specialists Oct. 31 through Nov. 3 to determine a new cost estimate for the project, Larson says. Theyll use a technique called the cost estimate validation process (CEVP), which differs mostly from conventional estimating in that project cost is expressed in a range instead of in a single number. Also participating in those discussions will be the consulting firm of Golder Associates Inc., of Redmond, Wash., other consulting groups, and five to 10 industry experts, all selected by the DOT.


A similar study done two years ago to arrive at the earlier cost estimate cost the DOT about $30,000, says Larson.


For discussion purposes, that group of specialists will be divided into teams focused on such areas as structural work, earthwork, and construction management, Larson says. He says Golder will be responsible for writing and editing the final report.


It will take all of November or longer to get the report out, Larson says.


Tom Brasch, Larsons assistant engineer on the project, says the DOT has never made definitive projections about how long it will take to complete the entire north-south freeway project because of uncertainty about when funding would be available to complete the work.


Yet, Larson says, Even if we had all the money to complete the project today, it would take no less than 10 more years to complete it.


Funded projects


In 2003, the state authorized $189 million to do work on the North Spokane Corridor north of Francis, but escalating construction costs are threatening how much of that work will get completed, Larson says. That money came from the nickel gas tax approved by voters in July of that year.


If we dont get additional funding one way or another, well have to look at ways to reduce the scope of work there. What we see are escalating construction prices, probably 50 percent higher than when those Nickel Fund estimates were made, he says.


Brasch says additional funds for work north of Francis could come from Nickel Funds reallocated from other DOT projects in the state, or from new money authorized by the Legislature. What the chances are of getting more money for corridor work north of Francis is unknown at this time, he says.


The DOTs original, but now threatened, plan was to have part of the northern half of the project open for public use by 2011, says Larson.


That stretch of road would include a completed four-lane freeway from between U.S. 395 and near where Farwell Road crosses U.S. 2, a distance of 1.5 miles. It also would include the northbound lanes of the freeway from Francis to near where Farwell intersects U.S. 2, a stretch of more than four miles. Those northbound lanes would be opened for one lane of traffic in each direction, he says.


To this point, four freeway bridges just east of the Farwell-U.S. 2 intersection and grading work from U.S. 395 south to Fairview Road, about halfway between Farwell and Francis, have been completed. In addition, work is under way to construct six more bridges north of Francis.


Expenses have risen to the point that the DOT has opted to break into smaller chunks a looming contract on the project that would have cost about $80 million. That contract was to be the fourth of six major contracts needed to finish the work slated for completion by 2011. The state agency elected instead to split that work into two or three separate bid packages, says Brasch. The first of those bids will be advertised in January, he says. The DOT hasnt decided yet when the other bid packages from that original $80 million worth of work would be advertised.


Larson says the work in the previously envisioned fourth contract includes construction of a 1,200-foot-long railroad tunnel near Market Street and Hawthorne Road, plus one bridge each where Lincoln and Gerlach roads cross the projected freeways northern lanes. Also included in that original bid package is earth grading on the northbound lanes of the freeway from Francis to Parksmith Drive, and the paving of the northbound lanes between Francis and Farwell, Brasch says.


Larson says some of that work will begin next spring.


Contact Rocky Wilson at (509) 344-1264 or via e-mail at rockyw@spokanejournal.com.