Fishing Wars Memorial Bridge Wins National Award

The American Public Works Association (APWA) selected the Fishing Wars Memorial Bridge project as 2020 Public Works Project of the Year in the $25 to $75 Million Structures category. The project also won APWA Washington State Chapter Project of the Year.

After 85 years of service, the bridge formerly known as the Puyallup River Bridge had reached the end of its service life and required replacement. Lochner provided preliminary design services and acted as owner’s representative for the City of Tacoma during design-build procurement and delivery.

“I’m happy to see the City of Tacoma recognized for their hard work,” said Aaron Butters, Lochner’s project manager. “This project was challenging and exciting, and we’re proud to have been a part of the team.”

Though the City of Tacoma had received completed designs prior to initiating the design-build project, these designs included a construction cost estimate that far exceeded the project’s known budget. Due to project delays, the city was also in danger of losing two federal grants and two state grants necessary to construct the bridge. Lochner was selected to support the City of Tacoma in shift to a design-build delivery. The firm developed preliminary designs on an accelerated schedule, allowing the City of Tacoma to meet federal funding requirements. Lochner also wrote the design-build procurement documents and helped the city manage the design-build team after project let.

Butters said, “The client’s dedication to delivering a successful project was critical and helped us meet the fast-paced schedule.”