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Expressway Board, Insurer Settle Part Of Selmon Lawsuit

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By RICH SHOPES

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 6, 2008

TAMPA - Part of the multimillion-dollar legal fight over the 2004 collapse of two bridge piers on the Selmon Crosstown Expressway was resolved Monday.

The Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority approved a $6.5 million settlement with Westchester Surplus Lines Insurance Co. - the authority's insurer during construction of the elevated lanes - over costs associated with the collapse. The agreement includes $4 million in payments already provided by Westchester and an additional $2.5 million.

"I've been pushing for this for some time, and I think it is a very positive development for the authority," Patrick Maguire, the authority's lawyer, said Monday.

The settlement came after two days of mediation.

Two of the piers sank during construction in April 2004, causing a portion of the bridge to collapse. Construction was halted to allow an independent test that found 154 of the project's 225 piers needed additional support.

The authority also voted Monday to remove Figg Engineering, the roadway's designer, from a $120 million lawsuit aimed at builder PCL Civil Constructors and URS Corp., which designed the piers for the bridge spans.

A lawsuit against Figg, URS and PCL was filed in October 2005. Maguire said later analysis by the authority found Figg's design did not contribute to the collapse.

Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at (813) 259-7633 or rshopes@tampatrib.com.

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