(4:09 PM UPDATE: Archived video of the meeting now added above. The Viaduct discussion starts at 1 hour, 37 minutes in – you can drag the playback bar there)
1:02 PM: The City Council is already an hour and a half past the time it expected to conclude this morning’s “briefing” meeting. WSDOT has been on the hot seat since 11:15 am on the state of the tunnel-repair project and issues including a letter from SDOT in response to a report from WSDOT engineers around the time the repair pit’s status became an issue a month ago. Much discussion focused on the phrase “catastrophic failure” relating to the repair pit work – though it’s been reiterated over and over again that the Viaduct is safe, councilmembers want more assurance. Two more agencies are coming up now – SDOT and Seattle Public Utilities – so we’re putting the live window above, and will be adding the highlights of notes we’ve been taking (plus other coverage links) along the way.
1:29 PM: The meeting just adjourned. Here’s what’s transpired so far:
–Much discussion about the letter sent by SDOT to WSDOT and the engineering report that led to it. As far as we can tell, this was first reported by Sydney Brownstone of The Stranger. WSDOT opened its part of this morning’s meeting by sternly declaring that the city letter took the phrase “risk of catastrophic failure” out of context. This was repeated over and over again; the City Council, however, got stern right back – Councilmember Kshama Sawant, for example, noted that she formerly worked as an engineer, and engineers don’t use that phrase for no reason. Council President Tim Burgess asked WSDOT if it had the December 11th report handy, and when told, “yes,” stopped the meeting briefly so it could be given to a clerk who immediately made copies for the council. We’ve asked WSDOT for the document as well, and will add it here as soon as it comes in. (ADDED: Here it is; the “catastrophic failure” mention comes in the final paragraph. Note that WSDOT says this was a “draft” and has also sent a 12/19 “final” version [added]- here’s that one.)
Later in the meeting, WSDOT suggested that because of this “out of context” quoting, it might restrict city access to a system in which it keeps these reports, and several councilmembers voiced disbelief at that.
MORE AFTER THE JUMP…
–Despite the use of that phrase, the Viaduct is not and was never at risk, WSDOT’s Viaduct/99 project leader Todd Trepanier opened. “At no time has there been a safety issue with construction of the access pit.”
–During a brief break in discussion of that situation, WSDOT’s Matt Preedy broke down the much-questioned number of the project being 70 percent complete. Yes, he said, tunnel digging itself is only 10 percent complete, but for example, the South Portal roadways – our side of downtown – are 82 percent complete, and that is 19 percent of the project. (Much math was required for a while during the briefing, including the rescue pit’s depth – they’re 98 feet down, but that’s also described at being a different number of feet below sea level. 98′ down is another “hold point” at which quality-control checks are being done. Still going for 120-foot depth. What if the tunnel machine can’t make it through the 20-foot concrete wall of the pit, when the time comes? There’s a plan for that too, WSDOT says.) Preedy said a “considerable amount of money” paid for advance procurement of tunnel components, many of which, he said, are being stored at Terminal 106.
–Assuming tunneling resumes, what happens when the Viaduct is closed while the machine goes beneath it? There’s no state money set aside for extra transit at that time, WSDOT said – and as for continuing other “mitigation” money for transit, that would have to be taken up with the Legislature (which just convened its new session today). Councilmember Rasmussen asked for elaboration on when the pass-beneath is expected. Still no clue on any dates for anything until the machine is back up and running, according to WSDOT. If and when tunneling does resume, there’s 500 feet to go – half again as far as it’s gone so far – before the machine starts going under the Viaduct.
-The proximity of the repair pit to the Viaduct remains a concern for Councilmember Mike O’Brien.
(still adding …)
-SDOT’s part of the briefing is detailed in the slide deck that was part of the agenda. It includes an independent assessment of the Viaduct that’s being funded by the city. (Seattle Times transportation reporter Mike Lindblom has more on that here.)
-Rasmussen asked Kubly what he would say to West Seattleites and others who use the Viaduct daily, regarding its safety. “Panic … is inappropriate,” the SDOT director replied. He went on to discuss the plans being made in case a longer-term or permanent closure is required, saying that while it sounds bureaucratic, it’s important that they’ve pre-positioned signage and pre-filled work orders. Capital improvements would take one to four months to build. A target list was worked on as recently as this past Saturday, with about half a dozen SDOT employees in a whiteboarding strategy session that afternoon (“before the game,” he noted).
-SPU said that it’s dealing with the settlement that’s potentially affecting water mains by creating an “isolation zone” in Pioneer Square, and reducing the amount of water flowing through it, but he insisted that is not affecting availability for key water uses such as firefighting, drinking, etc.
-The meeting wrapped up just before 1:30 pm – two hours longer than planned (though it should be noted, the SPD briefing on recent protest responses also ran overtime, about half an hour past what was scheduled). The council indicated it wants more frequent briefings on the Viaduct/tunnel/related-issues status.
| 41 COMMENTS