91ÊÓƵ

Federal Way, Wash.-based BergerABAM Inc. will pay the city of Yakima, Wash., $1.35 million as part of a mediated settlement concerning a troubled undercrossing project that cost the city $4 million in cost overruns.

BergerABAM, a prime contractor with offices in Portland and Hood River and Portland, proposed constructing a roadway 23 feet underground, but cobbly soil and a water table 13 feet below the surface posed challenges.

Construction of the $28 million project (including two underpasses) started in early 2010 and finished in late 2011, near the city’s Central Business District. But about 10 years of planning and construction took place beforehand, Yakima Mayor Micah Cawley said, for the effort to increase freight mobility and reduce the impact of rail traffic.

A subcontractor, San Francisco-based Geo Grout Inc., injected grout under one underpass to provide a sealant against water intrusion. But the sealant did not take, causing about a year in delays, Cawley said.

“That was when we knew we had problems,” he said. “It’s a very unique case where a city is suing a contractor like this. We didn’t want to gamble with taxpayer money, but we’ve got to hold folks accountable. We felt like we made the right decision.”

The city filed suit in Yakima Superior Court in December 2012. The settlement includes the city’s attorney fees, which amounted to $600,000, Cawley said. As part of the settlement, BergerABAM admitted no wrongdoing.