Everett Council approves $600,000 Riverfront cost overrun

Published 10:43 pm Sunday, December 21, 2008

EVERETT — The Everett City Council approved a nearly $600,000 cost overrun on the first phase of a challenging earth-moving project at the city’s Riverfront District.

The sum was added to an existing $9 million contract with KLB Construction of Mukilteo. The decision was made at last week’s council meeting.

Two more phases on the earth moving and compaction project remain.

A different city contractor underestimated the amount of fill material KLB would need to help compress buried debris, peat and alluvial soil.

Part of the problem, the city’s top engineering official noted, was the soil used was wetter and weighed more than the city’s contractor anticipated.

Councilman Mark Olson, who ultimately voted for the contract amendment with five other council members, said he wasn’t entirely satisfied with the explanation. “The fact that it rains around here comes as a surprise to no one,” he said after the meeting.

Councilman Ron Gipson voted against the amendment. Councilman Arlan Hatloe was not present.

In all, more than 1.1 million tons of “gravel borrow” — a porous and compressible sandy soil — were spread on the site.

This so-called “surcharge” project is part of an effort to prepare a former city dump and mill site for a $500 million mixed-use development.

By 2011, San Diego developer OliverMcMillan envisions opening a shopping, entertainment and residential neighborhood along the former industrial land along the Snohomish River.