Subject: Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program
Date: Fri, 31 May 2013 17:17:46 -0500
To: guyperea@live.com
From: wsdot@service.govdelivery.com
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
May 31, 2013
In this issue:
- Face time with Bertha: last day above ground for massive tunneling machine cutterhead
- Milepost 31 Speaker Series – Operating the SR 99 tunneling machine
Face time with Bertha: last day above ground for massive tunneling machine cutterhead
Suspended from a towering crane at the south end of downtown Seattle, the five-story-tall face of Bertha, the world's largest tunneling machine, spent its last day above ground looking squarely at the old viaduct it was built to replace. Next stop: the 80-foot-deep launch pit where tunneling will start this summer.
Crews working with the Washington State Department of Transportation lowered Bertha's 838-ton cutterhead into the launch pit today, ending eight weeks of heavy lifting, when crews moved machine parts up to 900 tons each from a ship at nearby Terminal 46 to the bottom of the pit. With the biggest pieces now in position, crews will focus on welding pieces together, connecting wires and hoses and testing the machine prior to its summer launch beneath downtown Seattle.
As Bertha's owner, WSDOT tunneling contractor Seattle Tunnel Partners, is responsible for ensuring she functions properly at all times. Testing will take about two months and is being overseen by manufacturer Hitachi Zosen Corp. The machine officially becomes the property of STP once it has tunneled approximately 1,000 feet.
Bertha, who has been updating her progress on Twitter since December, soaked up the moment. "I've posed for more photos today than I can count," @BerthaDigsSR99 tweeted Friday. "I love to smile, but seeing pictures of myself just reminds me that I'm all teeth."
In addition to assembling and testing the machine, crews are preparing the area near the launch pit for tunneling. That work includes strengthening the soil and building protected work areas along the initial section of the tunnel route, so engineers can perform scheduled inspections of the machine before it begins digging beneath downtown. Meanwhile, work continues near the north end of the Battery Street Tunnel to prepare the area where Bertha will emerge at the end of tunneling.
A 10-foot-long interactive model of Bertha is on display at Milepost 31, the project's information center in Pioneer Square. Photos of the machine and construction in Seattle are also available on Flickr.
Milepost 31 Speaker Series – Operating the SR 99 tunneling machine
Join WSDOT for an upcoming speaker series to find out next steps as crews test the machine and prepare to begin tunneling. You'll also learn about some of the technological advances on the SR 99 tunneling machine, including how a 300-foot-long machine steers underground and what happens when the steel cutters on the front of the machine need to be changed.
Thursday, June 6
6 to 7 p.m.
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 more information about participating garages.
And don't forget you can track Bertha's journey on Twitter by following @BerthaDigsSR99.
Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program
Web: www.alaskanwayviaduct.org
Email: viaduct@wsdot.wa.gov
Phone: 1-888-AWV-LINE
Twitter: @BerthaDigsSR99
As a public agency, the Washington State Department of Transportation is subject to the State's Public Records Act (RCW 42.56). E-mail addresses may be made available to anyone requesting them for noncommercial purposes.
This service is provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation. Contact us at WebFeedback@wsdot.wa.gov
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) information
If you would like to learn more about accessibility and the tools we have available, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/Accessibility/.
| STAY CONNECTED: | ||||||||||
 |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||
SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
Manage Preferences | Unsubscribe | Help
| This email was sent to guyperea@live.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: WSDOT · 310 Maple Park Ave SE · Olympia, WA 98504 |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.