Three years of litigation over delay costs, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge Physical Suicide Deterrent and Wind Refit project has ended with a $97 million settlement awarded to contractor Shimmick.

“The Golden Gate Bridge, Highways and Transportation District has amicably settled litigation with the Shimmick/Danny joint venture associated with the construction of the Suicide Prevention and Wind Restoration System for the Golden Gate Bridge,” the district wrote in a statement to ENR. “The agreement is an appropriate resolution of the many disputes surrounding the project and will allow both parties to focus on completing the remaining work.”

Under the terms of the concluded agreement was introduced on October 31Shimmick will receive $97 million before the end of 2024 as reimbursement for costs incurred on the project. In addition, the outstanding scope of work will be reduced by approximately $6 million and an extension of the project completion date.

“We are pleased to resolve this claim in a constructive manner as this settlement reflects a major step forward in our transformation plan,” Shimmick CEO Steve Richard said in a statement. After paying subcontractor claims, Shimmick plans to use the remaining proceeds for ongoing operations, including completion of the Golden Gate Bridge Project.

The legal battle resulted from project delays and cost overruns. When Shimmick’s team won the contract in 2017, costs for the project were pegged at $142 million. In July, the bridge district pegged the cost of the project at $224 million, funded through federal and state grants, bridge tolls, Proposition 63 funds and donations. Shimmick said the total cost is closer to $398 million.

The litigation began in 2021 with steel supplier Vigor Works LLC suing the joint venture of Shimmick and Danny’s Construction Co. for 13 million dollars. That suit was set in 2023 and the terms were not disclosed. In 2022, the joint venture sued the bridge district for nearly $200 million, including about $56 million sought by subcontractors and suppliers.

The main disagreement between the parties stemmed from Shimmick/Danny’s claim that the bridge district withheld information about the bridge’s condition and damage during the bidding process, making the work more difficult to complete on time and on budget.

The joint venture argued in court filings that it initially set a lower price than it would have if it had been aware of the condition of the span. The joint venture was the lower of two bidders for the project, with its price tag of $142 million, records show. The other bidder, American Bridge Co., bid $172 million. The bridge district countered that two changes in Shimmick’s ownership since the contract was awarded in early 2017 were a factor in the delays.

The project features a new barrier along the entire 1.7-mile span, consisting of marine-grade steel mesh 20 feet below and 20 feet on either side of the bridge. Some portions instead have vertical fencing or a combination of both. Included in the project were the replacement of a “traveler” system under the bridge used for maintenance access and the wind upgrade.

The Bridge District commemorated the main installation of the network in the summer of 2024, noting that since the installation in early 2024 it has already saved lives by reducing the number of suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge. The mesh design was inspired by similar structures on tall buildings and bridges around the world, and the steel is intentionally designed to be painful to jump through as an added deterrent.

Over the past 20 years, there have been an average of 30 confirmed suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge annually. In 2023, when the net was under construction, there were 14 confirmed suicides, and in 2024 this number continued to decrease.

“Although the project is not yet complete, the network is already working to save lives by reducing the number of suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge and deterring people from coming to the bridge to harm themselves,” the district wrote in a statement. “The net is a proven design that prevents people from jumping, serves as a symbol of care and hope for the discouraged and gives people a second chance.”

Shimmick expects to reach substantial completion of its on-site portion of the entire project in the third quarter of 2025.

“We are immensely proud,” says Richards, “of the outstanding work our team has done on this challenging and vital project.”