What happened to the viaduct in Seattle?
The final piece of the months long process to remove the double-decker freeway from Seattle's waterfront was completed Thursday when demolition crews removed the last standing section of the viaduct.
How long does demolition of the Battery Street Tunnel take?
Demolition work started the afternoon February 15, 2019 at the Columbia Street onramp and finished up November 21, 2019 —meaning the process took about nine months. What about the Battery Street Tunnel?
Who is the contractor for viaduct demolition?
Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. has officially been selected as the viaduct demolition contractor. How much did demolition cost? Kiewit bid the work, including designing the project, at $93.7 million.
How much concrete was in the viaduct?
Viaduct parts entered the tunnel in baseball-sized pieces. WSDOT says that an estimated 240 million pounds of concrete and more than 15 million pounds of steel rebar found a new life as infill. RIP Battery Street Tunnel. What did demolition look like?
How much did Kiewit bid for the Battery Street Tunnel?
How much concrete is infill?
How long did it take to demolish Columbia Street?
What is an excavator shovel?
How long has the freeway been hidden behind a freeway?
Is the Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition complete?
Is the tunnel a tomb?
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About this website
When was the Alaskan Way Viaduct torn down?
2019Alaskan Way Viaduct / Destruction dateThe southern mile of the viaduct was demolished in 2011 as part of the Holgate to King Street Project. Crews began demolishing the remaining span in January 2019 and the final piece was removed in November 2019. Demolishing the Alaskan Way Viaduct is part of the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program.
What will replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct?
The south portal to the new State Route 99 tunnel is now open to traffic, replacing the seismically vulnerable Alaskan Way Viaduct along the Seattle waterfront.
Is the Seattle viaduct gone?
The rest of the rubble from the viaduct demolition was trucked away to help fill the old Battery Street Tunnel. Now that the viaduct is completely gone, sights are now being set on the future of Seattle's waterfront.
Why was the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle replaced by a tunnel?
Following the Nisqually earthquake in February 2001, the State of Washington and the City of Seattle realized that the viaduct, built in 1953, suffered not only from decades of daily heavy use but was vulnerable to substantial damage in an earthquake. Replacing it became critical to public safety.
Where did almost all the rubble from the Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition end up?
As the roadway sections came down, the materials were first hauled to Terminal 25 adjacent to the West Seattle Bridge, where they were crushed into small pieces, and then transported back to the north end of the viaduct, where they were used as fill material in the decommissioned Battery Street Tunnel.
Is Big Bertha still stuck in Seattle?
Tunnel boring was completed on April 4, 2017, and the finished tunnel opened to traffic on February 4, 2019. Practically none of Bertha's components were reusable, and most of its steel was melted and recycled. The final, disassembled pieces of Bertha were removed from the tunnel portal in August 2017.
What will happen to Seattle in 2050?
Sea Level Rise Map This map gives viewers a way to see community-level impacts from various levels of coastal flooding and sea level rise. Sea level rise in Seattle is projected to be approximately one foot by 2050 and between two and five feet by 2100.
Is it true that Seattle is built on another city?
Seattle, known as the Emerald City and founded in 1851, was metaphorically built on the logging industry and geographically established on marshes at sea level. The first neighborhood settled by the ever-so-humble pioneers came to be called Pioneer Square.
What is the life expectancy in Seattle Washington?
It does note that female life expectancy was about 82 years in Washington during 2020, compared to 77 for males.
How deep does the Seattle tunnel go?
At its lowest point, the tunnel crown is at elevation -95 feet, and it is 215 feet deep at its greatest depth below grade. Development along the alignment consists of on-grade and elevated roadways, buildings ranging from single-story to high-rise structures, railroad and sewer tunnels, and public and private utilities ...
Does the Seattle link go underwater?
The deepest part of the U Link tunnels is 300 feet under Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill. The University of Washington Station platform holds up to 1,500 passengers—perfect for game day at Husky Stadium. A tunnel boring machine dug just 15 feet under the waters of the Montlake Cut.
How long did the Seattle tunnel take?
It was estimated to cost $2.8 billion and take 10–12 years to construct. Many prominent leaders and organizations opposed the elevated structure and believed this was a unique opportunity to remove the viaduct and connect downtown Seattle to the waterfront.
Who objected to the Alaskan Way Viaduct and why?
The Seattle City Council objected, voting 6-3 to put two alternatives on a March 2007 advisory ballot: a new elevated highway or a four-lane shallow tunnel. Gregoire then said she wanted to hear what voters thought, clarifying, “I will never, ever say that a vote of the people is a waste.”
What was significant about the original Alaskan Way Viaduct?
The Alaskan Way Viaduct is significant for its double-deck configuration, the first such bridge built in the state of Washington.
Did Canada help build the Alaska Highway?
It has been 75 years since the Alaska Highway — the most expensive World War II project taken on by the United States government, in cooperation with the Canadian government — was completed.
How much did the Alaskan Way tunnel cost?
The viaduct and tunnel cost $18 million to construct (equivalent to $141 million in 2020 dollars) and severed the waterfront from the rest of downtown.
How much did Kiewit bid for the Battery Street Tunnel?
Kiewit bid the work, including designing the project, at $93.7 million. The scope of the work included not just demolition itself, but Battery Street Tunnel demolition, reconnecting Harrison, Thomas, and John to the tunnel, and replacing the Marion Street Pedestrian Bridge.
How much concrete is infill?
WSDOT says that an estimated 240 million pounds of concrete and more than 15 million pounds of steel rebar found a new life as infill.
How long did it take to demolish Columbia Street?
Demolition work started the afternoon February 15, 2019 at the Columbia Street onramp and finished up November 21, 2019 —meaning the process took about nine months.
What is an excavator shovel?
That’s an excavator, a kind of giant, hydraulic shovel, with a special attachment on the head that allows it to munch on some concrete.
How long has the freeway been hidden behind a freeway?
The buildings in the surrounding area are more clearly visible—and some, having been hidden behind a freeway for more than 60 years, look like they could use a bath.
Is the Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition complete?
Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition is complete. Bye, viaduct! The Alaskan Way Viaduct is officially gone forever after a months-long demolition process. Removing the elevated highway has been in the works for a long time—but it can still seem like it came down overnight.
Is the tunnel a tomb?
Rather than become an adaptive reuse project like some neighborhood advocates were pushing for, the tunnel is kind of a tomb for the viaduct— it was filled with rubble and will eventually be sealed off. Viaduct parts entered the tunnel in baseball-sized pieces.
What is the WSDOT before and after video?
To commemorate the milestone, the WSDOT has released a full series of "before and after" videos showing the stark contrast of life with and without the viaduct towering along the downtown shoreline.
Is the Alaskan Way Viaduct demolished?
SEATTLE -- The Alaskan Way Viaduct is officially, totally demolished . The final piece of the months long process to remove the double-decker freeway from Seattle's waterfront was completed Thursday when demolition crews removed the last standing section of the viaduct.
How much did Kiewit bid for the Battery Street Tunnel?
Kiewit bid the work, including designing the project, at $93.7 million. The scope of the work included not just demolition itself, but Battery Street Tunnel demolition, reconnecting Harrison, Thomas, and John to the tunnel, and replacing the Marion Street Pedestrian Bridge.
How much concrete is infill?
WSDOT says that an estimated 240 million pounds of concrete and more than 15 million pounds of steel rebar found a new life as infill.
How long did it take to demolish Columbia Street?
Demolition work started the afternoon February 15, 2019 at the Columbia Street onramp and finished up November 21, 2019 —meaning the process took about nine months.
What is an excavator shovel?
That’s an excavator, a kind of giant, hydraulic shovel, with a special attachment on the head that allows it to munch on some concrete.
How long has the freeway been hidden behind a freeway?
The buildings in the surrounding area are more clearly visible—and some, having been hidden behind a freeway for more than 60 years, look like they could use a bath.
Is the Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition complete?
Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition is complete. Bye, viaduct! The Alaskan Way Viaduct is officially gone forever after a months-long demolition process. Removing the elevated highway has been in the works for a long time—but it can still seem like it came down overnight.
Is the tunnel a tomb?
Rather than become an adaptive reuse project like some neighborhood advocates were pushing for, the tunnel is kind of a tomb for the viaduct— it was filled with rubble and will eventually be sealed off. Viaduct parts entered the tunnel in baseball-sized pieces.
