VIADUCT CLOSURE, DAY 2: Saturday’s tunneling update

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(WSDOT photo – crews monitoring The Viaduct during the closure)

On the second full day of the two-weeks-or-so Alaskan Way Viaduct closure, a “precaution” until the Highway 99 tunneling machine finishes going beneath the AWV, here’s the brief update WSDOT just published:

After completing the first ring, STP crews have been preparing the machine to move out of the concrete of the maintenance stop. The transition from concrete into soil is an important part of tunneling under the viaduct and STP crews have been working to ensure that the transition goes smoothly. Once the machine is fully prepared to mine through this transition, crews will advance slowly and deliberately.

So as of this update, no additional distance has been added to the first-day 6.5-foot tally. Next update is expected about this time tomorrow; still almost 380 feet left to go to get all the way beneath The Viaduct.

Previous WSB coverage:
First-night tunneling-progress report
First pm commute
First am commute

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7 Replies to "VIADUCT CLOSURE, DAY 2: Saturday's tunneling update"

  • FINT April 30, 2016 (3:44 pm)

    It only took me 30min to get from Lincoln Park to the Space Needle this afternoon and I went through Sodo. 

  • AA April 30, 2016 (6:20 pm)

    At this rate it will be 59 days before they are done.

    • JanS April 30, 2016 (9:45 pm)

      AA…I calculated the same thing…but…they’ve been going through concrete…I think maybe, hopefully, that when they get through the concrete to the dirt that it will progress a bit faster. Still, two weeks looks mighty optimistic…

  • Dana April 30, 2016 (9:26 pm)

    Thanks for the updates, and following this so closely so you can pass the information onto us

  • 56bricks May 1, 2016 (8:59 am)

    The first 1500 or so feet only took a couple of years so we’re all good. 

  • Robert May 1, 2016 (9:47 am)

    To me the real marker will be the filling up of the barges.  Those who take the Water Taxi can monitor progress. :-)   (I used to be able to see the barges from my office on 3rd but they put tall fences up on the barges after the “incident” so not as easy to see the spoils in the barge now)

    • WSB May 1, 2016 (9:55 am)

      Good point. Mike Lindblom, Times transportation reporter extraordinaire (and, mandatory for us to point out frequently, a West Seattleite), noted in a Twitter exchange that the “muck” at the start of this stretch of the tunneling is destined to be trucked out, and then when they get to the soil (at which time the pace SHOULD pick up), it goes to the barges. – TR

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