Legal
Golden Gate Bridge Net Contractor Settles Supplier's Suit
The Golden Gate Bridge physical suicide deterrent and wind retrofit project involves construction of a steel net below the bridge, the addition of wind retrofits and replacement of a traveler system for below-bridge maintenance.
Photo by Scott Blair
Structural steel supplier Vigor Works LLC settled its lawsuit against the prime contractor on the Golden Gate Bridge physical suicide deterrent and wind retrofit project, Shimmick/Danny’s Joint Venture. Meanwhile, the joint venture’s case against the project owner alleging breach of contract continues.
The project involves the construction of a net made from 385,000 sq ft of marine-grade stainless steel 20 ft below the bridge and 20 ft out most of its 1.7-mile span, plus construction of retrofits to account for the increased wind load and the replacement of a “traveler” system used for under-bridge maintenance.
Shimmick/Danny’s, a joint venture of Shimmick Construction Co. and Danny’s Construction Co. LLC, won the job in 2017 with a $142-million bid. In court filings, the contractor says work is expected to finish three years late in 2026 at a cost of $398 million because the owner, the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District, concealed information about the bridge’s condition and deterioration during the bidding process.
Vigor initially sued Shimmick/Danny’s in 2021 in state superior court in San Francisco, alleging the contractor owed it more than $13 million. Shimmick/Danny’s then filed a cross claim against the bridge district last year, blaming it for the delays and overruns and saying the district owned it nearly $200 million, including about $56.6 million sought by subcontractors and suppliers.
Last month, the companies entered a settlement agreement to resolve the claims just a week ahead of a scheduled trial, court filings show. They did not disclose the terms of the agreement. Attorneys and a spokesperson for Vigor did not immediately respond to inquiries.
There is not currently a trial date set for the contractor’s claims against the bridge district. In the meantime, work is continuing on the project. A spokesperson for Shimmick/Danny’s says the project is about 66% complete. Suicide deterrent net installation is underway and they expect it to be mostly complete by the end of the year. Design work for the traveler system is ongoing. As the project continues, the contractor says it projects an average monthly loss of $2 million, not including additional pass-through change costs incurred by subcontractors or suppliers.
“Despite being owed more than $195 million by the Golden Gate Bridge District for its services, SDJV is continuing one of the state’s largest and most important infrastructure projects without being paid,” a spokesperson for the contractor said in a statement. “It is only fair that SDJV and its third-party subcontractors and suppliers receive the compensation the district owes them for project changes it made. SDJV has never, and will never, let this financial dispute get in the way of its pledge to finish this important project.”
A spokesperson for the district said in a statement that they "look forward to the completion of the net at the end of this year."
As ENR previously reported, Shimmick/Danny’s alleged in its complaint that the district “concealed significant information” about deterioration to parts of the bridge, limited prospective bidders’ access to limited areas and banned photography and measuring during walk-throughs, causing the delays and overruns. The bridge district points to a pair of changes in Shimmick’s ownership following the contract award as the cause it alleges is behind the issues.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a certified listener, call 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741.
