Published date: December 8, 2025

If you’ve ever stared at a redlined WSDOT review and thought the specs were written in a secret code… … good news: help is on the way.

Big changes are coming to WSDOT/APWA’s Standard Specifications in 2026—especially in Divisions 1–4—and those changes will directly affect local agency projects. To help cities, counties, and consultants navigate these changes and avoid delays or costly change orders, the WA Chapter Construction Specifications (CS) Committee is partnering with WSDOT Local Programs to offer Specs in Motion in-person training at ten Washington locations this winter.

And if there’s one thing you take away from this article, let it be this:
Attending the Specs in Motion class now will save you time, money, and heartache later.

Why You Should Care (Even If Specs Aren’t “Your Thing”)

Here’s the short version: starting April 1, 2026, local agency FHWA-funded projects must use the WSDOT/APWA 2026 Standard Specifications (SS) book. You won’t be able to rely on the familiar shortcuts anymore. Division 1–4 changes are significant, sections are being moved, and WSDOT-Local Programs will require more complete spec packages be submitted. If you go into your next project unprepared, you risk rework of your specifications after WSDOT comments or even worse, issuing change orders after bid opening, or having a finding during a project review.

This training will get your team up to speed before you advertise a project — not after the review comments start rolling in.

What You’ll Walk Away With

The CS Committee and WSDOT structured the training around three practical learning objectives:

1️⃣ Prepare specification writers for the 2026 changes
Get oriented to what’s shifting in Divisions 1–4, where content is moving, what’s staying put, and what your project manuals will need to look like moving forward.

2️⃣ Clearly identify the current and upcoming changes
Learn what has changed and when the changes take effect.

3️⃣ Understand how to use the SS and GSPs correctly
Become confident navigating federal, state, and local funding requirements — and avoid mistakes that trigger costly change orders or Local Programs re-submittals.

The “What’s Changing” Highlights (At the 30,000-Foot View)

Let’s start with the key shifts most likely to affect your workflow:

• FHWA-funded projects must transition to the 2026 Standard Specifications by April 1, 2026.
• Divisions 1–4 are not just being edited — sections are being moved.
• Full specification packages will be required to be submitted for WSDOT Local Programs review when using the 2026 book with FHWA funding— not just Division 1.
• Local Programs will be tightening expectations around approvals, submittals, and documentation.

Translation: It won’t work to “plug-and-play” the same way you used to.

A Quick Word on GSPs (a.k.a., Where Trouble Often Begins)

One of the biggest pain points for local agencies is knowing which GSPs you can and cannot use. This training will break it down simply, but here’s a preview:

GSPs Not Allowed on FHWA-Funded Projects for Local Agencies

• Prequalification
• Apprenticeship
• Retainage
• Warranties (except manufacturer warranties)

Special Provisions Requiring Local Programs Approval

• Supplemental qualifications GSP/disqualification requirements
• Traffic control minimum bids
• Insurance specifications above listed limits or types in SS or GSPs
• WSDOT specifications that specify Unifier
• Field office trailers
• Buy America – Small Grants Waiver
• Project-specific Special Provisions

Bottom line: knowing these rules before you publish your ad will save you from painful revisions after bids are opened.

For Those Who Like the Technical Details… Welcome to the Weeds

If the above overview just left you wanting more (and we see you, specification connoisseurs), here’s a taste of the deeper dive the training will cover:

• When to use APWA GSPs vs. WSDOT GSPs — and which WSDOT GSPs are not for local agency use
• Where to quickly find Local Agency-specific WSDOT documents, including:
  • GSP Instructions (APWA & WSDOT)
  • Log of Changes
  • Specifications Instructions
  • Bulletins
  • LP Check-In Form
  • Email Updates on spec changes
• How to align your spec book with LAG Manual changes and Local Programs expectations
• Recent RCW revisions affecting specifications

This session isn’t just for spec writers — project managers, engineers, and agency staff who work with WSDOT reviews will all benefit.

Who’s Teaching?

You won’t just hear from one region or one agency perspective. This training is taught by a powerhouse team of committee members representing:
Seattle, Bellevue, Pierce County, Kitsap County, Olympia, Lacey, Everett, Snohomish County, and Wenatchee.

Expect a collaborative, real-world, “we’ve actually done this” approach — not just slides and theory.

Your Future Self Will Thank You

Think of this training as preventative medicine for your projects. A few hours now could save you days — or weeks — of rewrites, negotiations, and post-bid “surprises.”

Because let’s be honest: no one wants a change order they could have avoided.

Class: Specs in Motion: Adapting to WSDOT Division 1-4 Changes

REGISTER AT >> https://washington.apwa.org/event/specs-in-motion-adapting-to-wsdot-division-1-4-changes/

Dates, Locations & Cost

All sessions run 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
$15 APWA members | $20 non-members

Thank you to our host locations for helping keep costs down.

• Jan 29 – Wenatchee hosted by the City of Wenatchee
• Feb 3 – Vancouver hosted by SWR WSDOT
• Feb 4 – Everett hosted by Snohomish County
• Feb 5 – Shoreline hosted by NWR WSDOT
• Feb 5 – Bremerton hosted by Kitsap County
• Feb 11 – Olympia hosted by Thurston County
• Feb 12 – Spokane hosted by ER WSDOT
• Feb 18 – Sedro Woolley hosted by City of Sedro Woolley
• Feb 19 – Redmond hosted by the City of Redmond
• Feb 25 – University Place hosted by Pierce County
• Mar 5 – Kennewick hosted by Benton County