<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3QYnYG_1GvjFF5200" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3QYnYG_1GvjFF5200" width="650" height="400" >The Interstate Bridge replacement program has a new administrator. Ron Paananen, a former Washington state transportation official, will take over the role on Dec. 2, the IBR team announced on Monday. The approximately $14.4 billion project has been without a permanent administrator since Greg Johnson stepped down in late 2025. Carley Francis has served as interim program administrator since January; she will remain with the project as director of program development.Paananen’s appointment comes as the IBR team closes in on hiring a contractor. The request for proposals is expected to be published on Nov. 23, and the contract awarded in 2027. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2028. This fall, a joint venture led by Kiewit Corp. was the sole bidder for a contract to build the bridges. That contract was valued from $3.3 billion to $3.9 billion. Kiewit has come under scrutiny for its performance on the I-205 Abernethy Bridge project at Oregon City. Paananen has served as senior transportation program manager for HDR in Bellevue, Washington, since 2017, according to his LinkedIn page. Paananen also worked at WSP and CH2M. For nearly 10 years, he worked at the Washington State Department of Transportation, rising to program administrator.Paananen has worked on projects including the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement program in Seattle, the SR 520 bridge replacement and the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge replacement in Washington, D.C. “As we move from planning into delivery, we are building a leadership team equipped for what mega-programs of this scale demand,” Washington State Transportation Secretary Julie Meredith stated in a news release on Monday. “Ron has led some of the most complex infrastructure work in the country, and he knows what it takes to get from procurement to construction.” Francis will transition to focusing on delivering the 5-mile project, including the extension of light rail into Vancouver. “I’m excited to work with Ron, our partners and the community to start construction and move the rest of the program forward,” she stated. Paananen stated that he’s “honored to join the team.” “My focus will be on execution: bringing a contractor on board, getting construction underway, and keeping our partners and the public informed every step of the way,” he added. </div></body>

Block Source: Daily Journal of Commerce

Misinformation

Clickbait

Old or repetitive news

Explicit content

Location not relevant

The Interstate Bridge replacement program has a new administrator. Ron Paananen, a former Washington state transportation official, will take over the role on Dec. 2, the IBR team announced on Monday. The approximately $14.4 billion project has been without a permanent administrator since Greg Johnson stepped down in late 2025....

New leader named for Interstate Bridge replacement project

NewsBreak

The Interstate Bridge replacement program has a new administrator. Ron Paananen, a former Washington state transportation official, will take over the role

New leader named for Interstate Bridge replacement project

Comments / 6