Under the terms of the settlement entered into October 31, Shimmick will receive $97 million before the end of 2024 as reimbursement for costs incurred on the project. In addition, the outstanding scope of work will be reduced by about $6 million and the project's completion date will be extended.

“We are pleased to resolve this claim in a constructive manner, as this settlement reflects a major step forward in our transformation plan,” Steve Richard, CEO of Shimmick, says in a statement. After paying subcontractor pass-through claims, Shimmick plans to use the remaining proceeds for ongoing operations, including completion of the Golden Gate Bridge Project. 

The legal battle resulted from delays and cost overruns on the project. When the Shimmick team won the contract in 2017, costs for the project were pegged at $142 million. In July, the bridge district pegged the project cost at $224 million, funded through federal and state grants, bridge tolls, Proposition 63 funds and donations. Shimmick has said total cost is closer to $398 million. 

Litigation began in 2021 when steel supplier Vigor Works LLC sued the joint venture of Shimmick and Danny’s Construction Co. for $13 million. That suit was settled in 2023 and the terms were not disclosed. In 2022, the joint venture sued the bridge district for nearly $200 million, including roughly $56 million sought by subcontractors and suppliers. 

The main disagreement between the parties stemmed from Shimmick/Danny’s alleging that the bridge district concealed information about the bridge’s condition and deterioration during the bidding process that made the work more difficult to finish on time and on budget. 

The joint venture claimed in court filings that it initially priced the work lower than it would have if it had been aware of the span’s condition. Records show the joint venture was the lower of two bidders for the project with its $142-million price. The other bidder, American Bridge Co., bid $172 million. The bridge district countered that two changes in Shimmick ownership since the contract award in early 2017 were a factor in the delays.

The project features a new barrier along the full 1.7-mile span consisting of a marine-grade steel net 20 ft below and 20 ft out from either side of the bridge. Some portions instead have vertical fencing or a combination of both. The replacement of a “traveler” system under the bridge used for maintenance access and wind retrofits was included on the project. 

The Bridge district commemorated the net's main installation this past summer, noting that since its installation in early 2024 that it had already saved lives by reducing the number of suicides at the Golden Gate Bridge. The net’s design was inspired by similar structures on tall buildings and bridges around the world, and the steel is purposefully designed to be painful to jump onto as an additional deterrent. 

Over the last 20 years, on average, there have been 30 confirmed suicides at the Golden Gate Bridge annually. In 2023, when the net was under construction, there were 14 confirmed suicides and in 2024 that number continued to drop. 

“Though the project is not yet complete, the net is already working to save lives by reducing the number of suicides at the Golden Gate Bridge and deterring people from coming to the bridge to harm themselves,” the district wrote in a statement. “The net is a proven design that keeps people from jumping, serves as a symbol of care and hope to despondent individuals and offers people a second chance.” 

Shimmick expects to reach substantial completion of its onsite portion of the entire project in the third quarter of 2025. 

“We take immense pride in the outstanding work our team has done on this challenging and vital project," Richards says.