Work on Riverside interchange resumes

An apparent settlement between Caltrans and a major contractor has put workers back on site at the $318 million reconstruction of the 60/91/215 freeway interchange in downtown Riverside.

The project is designed to reduce traffic at the intersection of highways 60 and 91 and Interstate 215. The job includes two new freeway-to-freeway connectors, upgraded bridges south of the project, additional carpool lanes and a truck-climbing lane west of Moreno Valley on the grade near Interstate 215 and Highway 60. Completion is scheduled in 2007.

Riverside Press-Enterprise – March 4, 2005

Initial reports peg the agreement with an additional $3.7 million for contractor Washington-Obayashi, who threatened to pull out of the job completely due to what it termed excessive costs related to design changes — a contention that Caltrans disputes.

In an effort to speed up the project by as much as one year, Caltrans hired the contractor in February 2004 when interchange plans were only 30 percent finished. The process was meant to allow engineers to build the project in phases and make alterations along the way.

Caltrans officials contend that the design changes to items such as electrical work, drainage and signage were an anticipated part of the project and has vowed to reimburse the contractor …

Riverside Press-Enterprise – March 8, 2005

Although Washington-Obayashi agreed to return to work, reports state the company still seeks $16 million in compensation. Both parties are expected to meet with a dispute-review board possibly as early as this month to finalize their differences.

Despite the nearly 3-week delay, the project — California’s second-largest public works project currently under construction — is expected to be completed in 2007.

Related

• Riverside Press-Enterprise – Work on interchange project to resume (Mar. 4) | Interchange work starts again (Mar. 8)
• San Bernardino Sun – Caltrans to raise interchange costs (Mar. 8)

Previous

• RaincrossSquare.com – Contract dispute halts work on ‘Malfunction Junction’ (Feb. 24) | Uncorking the bottleneck (Mar. 11, 2004)

Sources: Riverside Press-Enterprise (PE-20050304, PE-20050308), San Bernardino Sun (SBS-20050308); NOTE: Published dates for some online versions of newspaper articles cited may not match their archival source date.

2024 PAGE UPDATE: Added newspaper citation/insert; removed outdated links to newspaper article.