WSDOT suspending construction work due to COVID-19 safety concerns

Court mandated fish passage culvert work
will continue in the state
Photo courtesy WSDOT

Following the state Stay Home, Stay Healthy order, WSDOT suspended most state construction work and secured construction jobsites March 26. 

With the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order now extended through May 4, WSDOT will likewise continue the construction suspension and limiting maintenance work to all but essential duties through May 4.

WSDOT has been working closely with our contractor, labor and industry partners to develop COVID-19 response plans that would protect all of the people working on our projects by meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. 

Unfortunately, despite these efforts, it is not possible to meet the guidelines while maintaining construction. 

There have also been difficulties sustaining sufficient staff levels. In some cases, between 25% and 40% of a given crew was not available to work on WSDOT construction projects.

These are important projects to Washington, and we remain committed to restarting them when safe to do so to ensure the transportation system continues to support our statewide economy and economic recovery.

While most state projects will halt, work to complete fish passage culvert work will continue in order to make progress on the federal court injunction deadlines and to comply with time-sensitive fish windows for in-water work. 

Work on the design portion of design-build projects will continue although fieldwork to support design will be suspended. Some details on that work are evolving in this rapidly changing situation and WSDOT will share more details when they are available.