INTERNAL / PRIVILEGED — DRAFT

Protest 016: DSC 008 Bridge Deck Thickness — Chronology RESPONSE PENDING

Issue: DSC 007/SKA-0308/DSC 008
Bridge: 405/70N-W (northbound I-405 to westbound SR 522)
Category: Differing Site Condition — Bridge Deck Thickness
Amount Claimed: $378,613 ROM + 34-calendar-day schedule claim
Genesis: January 24, 2026 — Penhall discovers deck thickness variation during active demolition
Protest Status: Protest filed LTR 359 (Feb 26, 2026); Supplemental filed LTR 377 (Mar 13, 2026). WSDOT response drafting in progress.

Chronology

Date Document Direction Event
1967 Appendix N02_5 Historical Original bridge construction. Deck: 6.5″–7″ top slab.
1996 Appendix N02_5, pg 83/95 Historical Seismic retrofit. Approximately 1.5″ nominal special concrete overlay added per “Modified Expansion Dam Detail — Typical.” Only 12 of 452 retrofit sheets included in Appendix N02_5.
Oct 25, 2022 RFP / Appendix A1 WSDOT → Proposers RFP issued. Appendix N2 (Bridge As-Builts) designated “R” (Reference Document) in Appendix A1. TR 2.13.1 disclaims dimensional accuracy and requires Design-Builder to field measure and verify existing dimensions.
Dec 2022 Contract — Contract No. 009727 executed.
Feb 21, 2025 SL9727-079 WSDOT → Skanska WSDOT denies Vault NW12 claim citing GP 1-01.3, GP 1-02.2: as-builts are Reference Documents, reliance at DB’s own risk. Establishes precedent directly applicable to DSC 007/008.
Jan 24, 2026 TCP 119 REV01 Field operations TCP 119 demolition closure begins. Full freeway closure for Bridge 405/70N-W deck removal operations commence.
Jan 24, 2026 Penhall letter (att. LTR 334) Penhall → Skanska Penhall discovers deck thickness variation during active removal operations. Discovery occurs same day as demolition start. Conditions discovered after mobilization, not before.
Jan 27, 2026 Penhall letter Penhall → Skanska Penhall notifies Skanska (3 days after discovery). Claims conditions differ from those “contemplated at the time of bid and execution of the Subcontract.” Claims deck exceeds as-builts by “approximately 2 to 4 inches.” Attaches annotated drawings showing coring results of 9″–9.5″.
Jan 29, 2026 LTR 334 Skanska → WSDOT DSC 007 notice to WSDOT (5 days after discovery). Claims deck thicknesses “materially exceed” Contract Documents and as-built drawings. Attaches Penhall letter and annotated drawings.
Feb 9, 2026 M&M Memo (att. LTR 377) Modjeski & Masters Structural verification memo concludes no modification to demolition plans needed despite increased dead load from additional deck thickness. Engineering re-evaluation cost: $38,500 ($22K third-party + $16.5K re-eval).
Feb 12, 2026 SL 9727-264 WSDOT → Skanska Written Determination denying DSC. Three grounds: (1) TR 2.13.1 disclaims accuracy and requires field verification; (2) as-builts are Reference Documents under GP 1-01.3 and GP 1-02.2; (3) Form A certification.
Feb 23, 2026 Penhall letter (att. LTR 359 and LTR 377) Penhall → Skanska Penhall responds to SL 9727-264 rebutting all 3 grounds. Claims: material deviation, latent condition, not reasonably discoverable, Section 2.13.1 does not eliminate GP 1-04.7, disclaimer does not nullify DSC clause. Requests 14–28 day extension for supplemental.
Feb 26, 2026 LTR 359 Skanska → WSDOT Notice of Protest 016 (SKA-0308) under GP 1-04.5. Disagrees with WSDOT interpretation of GP 1-04.7, TR 2.13.1, GP 1-01.3, and GP 1-02.2. Requests 14-day extension to supplemental deadline. Attaches Penhall Feb 23 response.
Feb 27, 2026 SL 9727-283 WSDOT → Skanska Acknowledges protest. Denies 14-day extension request. Sets supplemental deadline as Friday, March 13, 2026. (Skanska had requested Mar 26; WSDOT held to Mar 13.)
Mar 12, 2026 Penhall Supplemental (Att. A to LTR 377) Penhall → Skanska Supplemental letter with cost/schedule impact summary. Schedule: 4.5 weeks (4 weeks engineering + 0.5 weeks demolition). Cost: $298,500 in line items. Includes Deck Thickness Mapping table. Uses 7.0″ as baseline for all spans (ignores documented 1996 overlay).
Mar 13, 2026 LTR 377 Skanska → WSDOT Supplemental Protest (55-page package). Pursues Type (b) DSC. Total ROM: $378,613. Claims 34-calendar-day delay. Rebuts all 3 WSDOT grounds. Attaches Penhall supplemental, original notice, cost breakdown, as-built drawings, deck thickness mapping. Note: No TIA submitted — PCO 010B controls critical path.

Deadline Tracking

DeadlineTriggerDue DateStatus
WSDOT Written DeterminationLTR 334 received Jan 29, 2026No contractual deadlineComplete — SL 9727-264 issued Feb 12, 2026
Notice of ProtestSL 9727-264 issued Feb 12, 202614 calendar days (Feb 26)Complete — LTR 359 filed Feb 26, 2026
Supplemental Written StatementLTR 359 filed Feb 26, 2026Mar 13, 2026 (WSDOT denied 14-day extension per SL 9727-283)Complete — LTR 377 filed Mar 13, 2026
WSDOT Protest ResponseLTR 377 received Mar 13, 2026No specific contractual deadline. Respond per GP 1-04.5.PENDING — Response drafting in progress

Coring Data Summary

SourceLayerThickness
As-built (1967 original deck)Top slab6.5″–7.0″
As-built (1996 overlay)Special concrete overlay~1.5″ nominal
As-built totalCombined~8.0″–8.5″
WSDOT field cores (Feb 10, 2026)South end (spans 1–4)~8.5″
WSDOT field cores (Feb 10, 2026)Middle (~spans 5–12)9.0″–10.0″
WSDOT field cores (Feb 10, 2026)North end (spans 13–15)10.0″–10.5″
Penhall claimed baseline (flawed)All spans7.0″ (ignores 1996 overlay)

Key Contract Provisions

ProvisionRole in Analysis
TR 2.13.1Primary authority: “plans are not guaranteed to be dimensionally accurate or complete. The Design-Builder shall field measure and verify existing dimensions as required for their Work.”
GP 1-01.3Reference Documents are for information only; Design-Builder relies at its own risk.
GP 1-02.2Disclaimer: WSDOT not responsible for loss from reliance on Reference Documents. Exception preserved (see GP 1-04.7).
GP 1-02.4(1)“Conclusive evidence” language: DB certified it reviewed Reference Documents and examined the Site. Directly rebuts latent condition argument.
GP 1-04.7DSC clause. Type (b) requires “not discoverable from a reasonable investigation.” Deck thickness is verifiable via coring or below-deck access — a standard pre-demolition technique.
ITP §§ 2.2, 2.6, 2.7.3, 3.3.4Reserved for protest response/DRB: establishes proposers had access mechanism, cost allocation, risk allocation, and submitted Pass/Fail site investigation certification.
Appendix A1Appendix N2 (Bridge As-Builts) designated “R” (Reference Document).