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State Street hazmat removal bid far lower than estimate; project still needs tens of millions
Summary
ITD told lawmakers the hazardous‑materials removal bid for its State Street site came in at under $1 million compared with an initial $8 million estimate; about $41 million has been appropriated to the project but completion is now estimated at $60–70 million.
Senator Winthrop asked the Idaho Transportation Department for an accounting of the State Street property cleanup, and Director Scott Stokes said the agency has completed design work, has bid the hazardous‑materials removal and will move forward with that contract soon.
"It was initially estimated to be $8,000,000. The bid came in extremely well. It was, actually a little less than $1,000,000," Stokes told the committee, saying the detailed testing found lower concentrations than initially assumed.
Stokes said the department had budgeted just over $41,000,000 to do the work through the committee and had spent roughly $2–3,000,000 on architectural design to date. "The current estimate to complete the project is between 60 and $70,000,000," he said, adding that the larger construction and remodeling contract will follow completion of design and hazmat removal.
Committee members probed whether that appropriated amount was in hand or merely an appropriation authority. Stokes said the appropriation exists and that actual expenditures to date have been modest; the department remains housed at the Chinden Campus and aims to relocate to permanent quarters when feasible. He offered to provide additional detail on spent versus planned amounts to answer follow‑ups from budget‑focused legislators.
The committee did not take formal action on the project during this hearing; ITD said it expects to advertise and award the removal contract and proceed to the architectural and construction phases once design is finished.
