Everett officials told the City Council on May 7, 2025, that unexpected timber and concrete obstructions found while installing piles for the temporary work platform have delayed the Edgewater Creek bridge replacement and extended a long detour on Mukilteo Boulevard.

Mayor Cassie Franklin said the city is treating the project as a top priority and has directed staff to explore ways to speed the work. "We cannot risk having any part of our community separated in case of an earthquake or disaster, so safety is always our number 1 concern," Franklin said during the council meeting.

The bridge, built in 1946, is 79 years old and the replacement requires a temporary platform across the ravine to support cranes and equipment. Tom Hood, city engineer, told the council that crews encountered "many unknown obstructions in the ravine" while drilling the dozens of steel piles needed to support that platform. "These obstructions are primarily timber and concrete," Hood said, and he said they were not identified in the project's geotechnical investigation or in records for the existing 1946 bridge.

Hood said removal of the obstructions has added time and complexity and temporarily destabilized steep ravine slopes, compounding the work needed to install piles. He added a milestone: "All of the piles for the work platform have now been installed," which allows the project to move to demolition of the existing bridge and to begin examining options to recover schedule.

Ryan Sass, public works director, said the public works and construction management teams will "explore all feasible contract options for schedule recovery and consolidation of activities to try to minimize the amount of additional closure time." Sass said staff are meeting weekly with contractor Granite Construction to identify efficiencies, possible overtime or parallel work, and other ways to accelerate remaining work.

Council members asked about budget impacts and timing. A council member requested an update when staff has clarity on cost implications; Hood said cost details were still pending as crews continue work and evaluate recovery options. Mayor Franklin and public works staff said they will post updates to the city's project website and notify the public as schedule and cost information becomes available.

At the meeting the council also heard the ordinance language establishing a special improvement project fund for the replacement (Council Bill 2504-27, described in the council packet as "Edgewater Creek Bridge Replacement, Fund 03303"), which was read into the record; no final vote on that ordinance occurred during the May 7 session.

The city emphasized that the detour is disruptive and that completing the replacement quickly and safely remains the administration's stated priority. Staff said they will provide additional schedule and cost updates to the council and public as they become available.