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Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program

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This program is led by the Washington State Department of Transportation in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, King County, City of Seattle and the Port of Seattle.

Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program News

Oct. 2, 2013

In this issue:

Semiannual Alaskan Way Viaduct inspection, utility work to close SR 99 through Seattle this weekend

Bertha picking up speed

Milepost 31 speaker series – Archaeology and the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program

Semiannual Alaskan Way Viaduct inspection, utility work to close SR 99 through Seattle this weekend

Item for weekend to-do list: check the schedule for planned closures of State Route 99 before heading to, or through, downtown Seattle.

The Washington State Department of Transportation will close the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct for a semiannual safety inspection from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Additionally, crews working on the City of Seattle's Mercer Corridor Project will close a section of SR 99 north of downtown, including the Battery Street Tunnel, to install a sewer line from 11 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.

The closures were scheduled on the same weekend to avoid creating backups on multiple weekends. Travelers should expect increased congestion in and near downtown Seattle and allow extra time to reach their destination.

Closure details

Friday, Oct. 4, to Monday, Oct. 7 (Mercer Corridor Project):

All lanes in both directions of SR 99/Aurora Avenue North will be closed between the south end of the Battery Street Tunnel and Valley Street from 11 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.

Saturday, Oct. 5 (viaduct inspection):

All lanes in both directions of the Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed between South Spokane Street and the Battery Street Tunnel from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 6 (viaduct inspection):

All lanes in both directions of the Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed between South Spokane Street and the Battery Street Tunnel from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

WSDOT recommends leaving early, carpooling or taking transit. Drivers can stay up to date with all closures and roadway conditions by checking the Seattle traffic page, the What's Happening Now page, or WSDOT mobile app.

Bertha picking up speed

It was a good first week back on the job for Bertha, the SR 99 tunneling machine.

Bertha dug 64 feet between Sept. 23 and the end of the month, averaging about 11 feet of excavation per work day. Add that to the 24 feet she traveled prior to the monthlong stoppage in mining, and Bertha had traveled a total of 88 feet by the start of October.

The end of September brought with it an important milestone: installation of the first permanent tunnel ring. Now that Bertha is building rings underground, instead of in the launch pit, crews no longer need to install the elaborate system of bracing that was used to reinforce the temporary rings.

Also, with Bertha's shield now fully underground, crews were able to create a seal behind her. The seal allows Bertha to begin pushing toward full speed, using the pressure underground to her advantage without having to worry about muck escaping through the unsealed ground that surrounds the newly installed tunnel rings.

Crews hope to speed up production in the coming weeks. Once Bertha gets beneath downtown, she should dig about 35 feet a day.

Check out his short video of Bertha in action, and don't forget to follow @BerthaDigsSR99 on Twitter for the latest on her progress.

Milepost 31 speaker series – Archaeology and the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program

Past meets future as Bertha, the SR 99 tunneling machine, begins digging through Seattle's first neighborhood, Pioneer Square. Join us for this month's speaker series to hear how the Washington State Department of Transportation is protecting 20th century history as we build this 21st century project. See what archaeologists have uncovered in the south and north portal areas, and learn about their monitoring plans as the project continues.

Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013

6 – 6:30 p.m.

Milepost 31, 211 First Ave. S., Seattle

Admission is free.

After the talk, be sure to leave enough time to explore the rest of the First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square. Milepost 31 is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and stays open until 8 p.m. on First Thursdays. Free parking is available for First Thursday Art Walk patrons in Pioneer Square. Please visit www.FirstThursdaySeattle.com for information about participating garages.

Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program
Web: www.alaskanwayviaduct.org
Email: viaduct@wsdot.wa.gov
Phone: 1-888-AWV-LINE
Twitter: @BerthaDigsSR99