In 2011, the Washington State Legislature directed the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to form an Expert Review Panel (ERP) to conduct an independent financial and technical review of the $3.1 billion Alaska Way Viaduct Replacement Program’s key assumptions, financial plan, and risk management plan as the tunnel project moves into final design and construction.

Governor Gregoire, the Washington House and Senate transportation committee chairs, and the transportation secretary selected three members for the panel based on their expertise. Pegasus-Global’s Dr. Patricia Galloway, P.E. was chosen as panel chair for her expertise in megaproject management, contract administration, and risk management. 

The ERP reviewed the project’s finance plan to ensure that it clearly identified secured and anticipated funding sources and was feasible and sufficient. It also reviewed key assumptions for project schedules, risk identification and management, and cost estimates to ensure that they were reasonable. In February 2012, the panel submitted its report and recommendations to the legislature’s Transportation Committees, the Governor’s Program Oversight Committee, and the Transportation Commission. The ERP also was tasked to provide ongoing reviews and updates of the program’s status, and additional reports were submitted to the same bodies in February 2013, February 2014, and April 2015.