Oct. 11--OLYMPIA -- Instead of settling their five-year dispute, lawyers for Washington state took the offensive Thursday by asking a jury to award $57 million from its Highway 99 tunnel contractors for delays caused when tunnel-boring machine Bertha stalled in 2013. Attorney David Goodnight, in his opening statement, sought to bury Seattle Tunnel Partners (STP) with allegations that its ... Read More

Sep. 12--An grand jury in Anchorage on Tuesday indicted Baker Hughes oilfield service companies and a Baker Hughes manager on several counts of assault after five workers with a construction crew said they were injured in a chemical release during an incident that is alleged to have taken place in Kenai in 2014. The 25 felony counts in the indictment include 10 counts of first-degree assault. ... Read More

Sep. 5--The Seattle City Council will consider a ban on natural gas for newly constructed homes and buildings, favoring the use of electricity for heating and cooking. Councilmember Mike O'Brien plans to introduce legislation this week that would prohibit natural-gas piping systems in new structures, starting next summer. The ban would take effect for permitting on July 1, 2020, according to a ... Read More

Projected costs for TriMet’s next light rail project have increased by nearly half a billion dollars, creating a new budget gap that TriMet officials are optimistic can be addressed, but has raised alarm bells for some suburban leaders. Southwest Corridor leaders say the 12-mile route expected to terminate near Bridgeport Village in Washington County is now projected to cost $2.87 billion to ... Read More

Aug. 12--The city of Spokane is considering giving $106,000 to a private developer to spur construction of a six-story, 104-unit apartment building on the east end of downtown. The project, called Riverside Commons, would replace a small drive-through bank building built in 1994 on the corner of Riverside Avenue and Browne Street. Beyond the cash investment from the city, the project would ... Read More

By Alex Brown The Chronicle A long-debated proposal for an ambitious and controversial resort just outside the entrance to Mount Rainier National Park is drawing renewed scrutiny as developers say they're close to finally breaking ground on the project. The Park Junction Resort is a 420-acre plan that includes an 18-hole golf course, 270- room lodge, conference center, tennis courts, swimming ... Read More

Aug. 5--Alcoa's aluminum smelter near Ferndale is on track to install equipment that will meet tougher air quality standards by reducing sulfur dioxide releases by the end of 2022. Following a public comment period Intalco Works and the Washington State Department of Ecology signed off on a plan to install a wet scrubber to reduce emissions of the gas, which is known for a sharp smell and ... Read More

Cosmopolis voters will get a chance to weigh in on the construction of a new $3 million municipal building to house City Hall, the municipal court and the police department in the general election Nov. 5. Read More