(WSDOT photo from early June, installing new part for the tunnel machine’s cutterhead)
When will the Highway 99 tunneling machine be ready to resume digging?
(Added Monday – slide deck from stakeholders’ meeting)
WSDOT told its longrunning Highway 99/Viaduct stakeholders group today that it really has no idea – its contractor Seattle Tunnel Partners still hasn’t provided a new schedule for when it thinks the machine will be fixed and ready to go. So technically, they still only have a schedule that says it was expected to get going around August 1st, said Brian Nielsen, the new deputy program administrator (replacing Matt Preedy, who left for a job at Sound Transit). “Clearly they’re a couple months behind” where they would have had to have been to make that timeline, he said, but they haven’t heard from STP and will let the public know when they do. Once they start up, Nielsen said, they consider the session “a test section” with “essentially a new machine” for the first 500 feet or so, until they get to “Safe Haven 3,” where they’d have to stop down before going under the Viaduct.
We were the only news organization at the stakeholders’ meeting, held in a meeting room at Safeco Field, so we took notes on a few other items of general interest – they’re ahead:
GROUND SETTLEMENT IN THE PIONEER SQUARE AREA: This month, new meters and ground-monitoring walls have been installed “to help us understand the settlement that’s occurred,” said WSDOT’s Dave Sowers. Things seem stable now, he said.
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES: Water-main replacement “needs to be done quickly,” because the current water main is at risk of failure; the work zone is on Western Avenue between Yesler and Spring, and is also directly above Highway 99 tunneling machine path. Installation will start in July, SPU’s Ross Hathaway said, continuing into October.
NORTH PORTAL: A traffic shift is coming up later this summer – August 21st-24th, the Battery Street Tunnel and areas just north of it will close to move traffic from Aurora to the new 99 deck in that area. WSDOT says they’ve worked hard to arrange that weekend for the late Friday to early Monday closure.
COLMAN DOCK ACCESS: WSDOT says it’s created almost 70 more spaces on the dock itself to try to keep summer traffic off nearby streets, starting this week. But it’ll still be dicey, so if you’re trying to catch a state ferry westbound, use alternatives, including Fauntleroy, they’re urging.
WATERFRONT PROJECT: Another comment period for the Alaskan Way Viaduct Promenade/Overlook Walk is about to open, with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement going live next Monday, Angela Brady told the stakeholders. Comments will be accepted through waterfrontseattle.org, DEIS@waterfrontseattle.org, and by mail. A public meeting is planned July 22nd. 90 percent design is awaiting public comments – probably spring next year. Budget for total waterfront work remains $1.07 billion, Brady said in response to a question from West Seattle stakeholder rep Vlad Oustimovitch.
SEAWALL: Next Wednesday, central-waterfront businesses reopen after another construction season; “nearly 70 parking spaces will be restored near Waterfront Park, pedestrian loading/unloading zone will be adjacent to Pier 57, exit from the parking area will be at University to the south.” Then the final construction season will start October 1st.
OTHER PROJECTS: A few other projects of interest were reviewed – including the HOV lanes being added to mainline I-90 between Mercer Island and Seattle, with safety upgrades to the Mount Baker and Mercer Island tunnels; 25 more weekend closures are ahead, but not until fall, as they had agreed to have no closures between June and October. Light-rail construction will happen in the express lanes in mid-2017, he said. He also reminded everyone that 520 across Lake Washington will be closed this weekend (which means I-90, preferred by south-end travelers including those from our area, will be busier).
The meeting ended early; no date set for the next one yet, but it’ll likely be in September.
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