Tacoma Crossing Sets Down Amid Swirl of Legacy, Tides
Amid the treacherously powerful swirls of Gig Harbor currents, the massive foundations for the third incarnation of one of the worlds most recognizably titled bridges are taking shape. Steeped in history, the new $849-million Tacoma Narrows Bridge represents global efforts as construction hits critical milestones.
Tacoma Narrows Constructors, a Tacoma, Wash., based joint venture team led by Kiewit Pacific and Bechtel Infrastructure, holds a $615-million design-build contract to complete the 5,400-ft suspension bridge by 2008. It will stand 185 ft center to center from the second Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which is built on the footprint of the infamous "Galloping Gertie" that collapsed in 1940. The current bridge carries 90,000 vehicles daily, far beyond the goal of 60,000.