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Kiewit Infrastructure West faces increased scrutiny of its performance on the Interstate 205-Abernethy Bridge project after two safety incidents that state officials deemed 鈥渟erious,鈥� along with escalating costs and delays.

Kiewit received a negative performance evaluation in May, said Vidal Francis, an Oregon Department of Transportation program manager.

On a scale of 50 to -50, with a baseline of zero, Kiewit scored a -36, Francis told Oregon Transportation Commission members at a meeting last week.

鈥淭he contractor’s monitored performance in this review period has not been great,鈥� Francis said.

Two safety incidents drew particular concern from ODOT. In one, a work truck backed over a worker, resulting in hospitalization. In another, a boat driver needed rescue after striking a piling and going into the Willamette River.

The incidents were 鈥減retty egregious鈥� and could have been prevented, Francis said.

鈥淲e are aware of the concerns raised regarding work on the I-205 Abernethy Bridge project, including the discussion during the Oregon Transportation Commission meeting,鈥� Kiewit spokeswoman Teresa Shada wrote in an email to the 91视频. 鈥淪afety is fundamental to how we operate, and we take any incident involving members of the public, our employees, subcontractors or project partners seriously. Kiewit will continue to work with ODOT to address and resolve changes to the work and deliver the project in accordance with our contract.鈥�

Kiewit will have to submit a corrective plan and hold mandatory meetings with ODOT staff, Francis said.

鈥淭hey need to come back to us with some of the corrective plans or even safety plans, if you will, as to how they cannot allow this to happen again,鈥� he said.

It was unclear if the safety incidents involved Kiewit directly, or a subcontractor. But the prime contractor is ultimately responsible, Francis said.

鈥淭hey have ultimate control over the entire project itself,鈥� he said.

The project is more than a year behind schedule, with estimated completion dates ranging from September 2027 to January 2028. Kiewit’s contract ends on Oct. 21, 2026, and ODOT estimates an additional 316 to 440 contract days.

The project is approximately 78 percent complete, Francis said.

The cost of the project’s first phase is estimated at more than $700 million, according to ODOT. Total costs have risen to more than $800 million 鈥� more than triple the original estimate of $248 million. The bridge replacement effort is ODOT’s largest project in decades.

Kiewit’s performance may have long-term effects, according to Francis.

鈥淭his also could impact their ability to bid on future projects with the agency,鈥� he said.

In other updates from the June 11 OTC meeting:

Interstate Bridge costs

Annual expenditures for the Interstate Bridge replacement project are expected to reach $216.6 million in 2027, and peak at $806 million in 2031, according to a preliminary finance plan presented to commissioners. In the 2028-29 biennium, costs are projected to hit $950 million. ODOT’s share would be half, or about $475 million.

The first phase of the project to replace the bridge and upgrade Interstate 5 in Portland and Southwest Washington is projected to cost $5.68 billion.

The project budget has limited design work, said Travis Brouwer, ODOT’s deputy director.

鈥淲e are only designing light rail to the waterfront,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he city of Vancouver, for example, has been asking us to continue the design into downtown. There is simply no money for that.鈥�

ODOT’s budget

Transportation officials expect to present plans next year to cut $200 million from ODOT’s budget. The commission got its first look at a preliminary budget that would need to be approved by the Oregon Legislature and signed into law by the governor.

The preliminary budget gives commissioners the chance to tell the public how cuts will result in reduced services such as miles of chip seal, Commissioner Phil Chang said.

鈥淲hat we can do is highlight what this proposal costs us,鈥� he said.

Tolls

Commissioners discussed potential tolling levels on the Interstate Bridge. Chairwoman Julie Brown said she favors keeping tolls low while limiting exemptions and subsidies. Administrative costs often make exemptions and subsidies not worthwhile, she said.

鈥淚’ve also been a firm believer, if you use it, you should pay,鈥� she said.

Tolls were historically used to pay for projects, including the second span of the Interstate Bridge in the 1960s. But now generations of Oregon drivers have become accustomed to paying few tolls, if any.

鈥淎s Americans, as Oregonians, we’re going to have to start understanding that there’s a cost to all of this stuff,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淭hese things were built for us, and we’ve enjoyed them over the years and haven’t had to pay for them, because the costs of them were years ago. Now, we’re going to have to make hard choices.鈥�