It will cost Tacoma $3.5M to settle fight over pipes tied to I-5 construction project
Jan. 14—The city of Tacoma has agreed to pay $3.5 million to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to settle a lawsuit relating to construction costs from a project on Interstate 5.
Tacoma City Council approved the settlement Tuesday after a mutual agreement was made between the two parties on how to pay for utility work beneath a WSDOT project to build high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-5.
WSDOT filed a complaint in Pierce County Superior Court in March 2020 asking the city to pay the state for work to move city utilities located beneath the HOV project between Pacific Avenue and Port of Tacoma Road. The $1.4 billion HOV project is a series of projects that started in 2001 and is expected to be completed this summer.
Prior to 2008, two utility pipes were discovered beneath the area of the project: a city sewer line and stormwater drainage line. The city and WSDOT disagreed about who was responsible for the costs of the relocation work.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/it-will-cost-tacoma-3-5m-to-settle-fight-over-pipes-tied-to-i-5-construction-project/ar-AASMVU2