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Deep Bored Tunnel To Replace Alaskan Way Viaduct – Latest Information

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and King County Executive Ron Sims in January 2009 proposed to replace the seismically vulnerable Alaskan Way Viaduct along Seattle’s downtown waterfront on State Route 99 with an inland deep bored tunnel. Legislation authorizing and providing substantial funding for the tunnel passed the state senate and house, and on May 12 was signed into law by Gov. Gregoire. The tunnel is expected to cost $1.2 to $2.2 billion, most likely $1.9 billion, including a cushion for cost overruns. The legislation provides $2.8 billion for tunnel construction and Viaduct replacement. Other, related projects – funded by the city, county and Port of Seattle – would bring the total package’s cost to $4.2 billion. Here is the bill, as approved.

Deep Bored Tunnel Bill Signed Into Law: News Round-up, 5/13/09

House OKs SR 99 Tunnel – News & Commentary, 4/22-24/09

Yakima Valley Fruit Growers Support Deep Bore Tunnel, KIRO-AM & Seattle P-I, 4/13/09

Deep Bore Tunnel Is Best Replacement Option,” Yakima Herald-Republic, 4/12/09

WA House Passes $4.9B Transportation Budget, Seattle P-I, 4/10/09

99 Corridor Coalition Bored Tunnel Program Update, 3/26/09

When Chopp Speaks, Parse It Closely,” Crosscut, 3/26/09

The Time Has Come To Replace Viaduct With Tunnel, Seattle Times, 3/26/09

Officials Give Viaduct Replacement Details To Ballard Residents,” Seattle P-I, 3/23/09

Expert: Viaduct Bored Tunnel Would Be World Class Project,” Seattle P-I, 3/20/09

Senate Passes Bill To Replace Viaduct With Tunnel,” Seattle Times, 3/4/09

SR 99 Deep Bored Tunnel Project Fact Sheets And Maps, Washington State Department Of Transportation, 2/24/09

Tunnel FAQs, Cascadia Center


Bored Tunnel Plans Now Include Alternative Routes To Ballard,” Ballard News Tribune, 2/24/09

Tunnel Plan Burrows Through State Senate,” Seattle Times, 2/10/09

KING-5 TV interview of WA House Speaker Frank Chopp, on tunnel proposal, 2/3/09

WSDOT: Deep Bored Tunnel Would Be Safer In Earthquake,” KOMO-AM 1000, 1/31/09

State Senate Leaders Back Replacing Viaduct With Tunnel,” Seattle Times, 1/29/09

WSDOT: No Comparison Between Boston’s “Big Dig” And SR 99 Tunnel, Tacoma News Tribune, 1/26/09

State Sen. Joe McDermott Web video on tunnel proposal, YouTube, 1/26/09

Putting The Viaduct In A Tunnel,” Seattle Times, Sunday, 1/25/09

The Viaduct Decision’s Next Step: Tolling,” Crosscut, 1/20/09

Deep Bored Tunnel Chosen: Jan. 13-16 Media & Govt. Links (Radio, TV, Newspapers, State of WA, more) includes Cascadia statement

City, County, State Agree To Replace Viaduct With Tunnel,” Seattle Times, 1/12/09

Sources: Viaduct To be Replaced With Tunnel,” Seattle P-I, 1/12/09

Stakeholders Took Initiative With Viaduct Tunnel Option,” Seattle Times, 1/11/09

Industry Warms To Tunnel Replacing Seattle’s Viaduct,” Puget Sound Business Journal, 1/9/09

Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Needs A Bored Tunnel To Serve Capacity And Neighborhoods,” King County Council Member Larry Phillips,” Seattle Times, 1/9/09

Viaduct Replacement: Surface And Tunnel,” KUOW’s “Weekday” with host Steve Scher, 1/8/09.

A Bored Tunnel Would Keep West Seattle Moving,” Vlad Oustimovitch, West Seattle Herald, 1/5/09

Bored Tunnel Technology Helps Option Advance, KUOW-FM, 1/5/09

If You Convene Citizens, Listen To Them,” Sally Bagshaw, Crosscut, 1/2/09

Alaskan Way Viaduct: Recurring Dream,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorial, 12/31/08

Viaduct Decision Delayed, Tunnel Option Back In Play,” Seattle Times, 12/31/08

Another Delay For Alaskan Way Viaduct Decision,” Bryan Johnson, KOMO 4 TV, 12/31/08

Alaskan Way Viaduct: Why Close Off The Tunnel Option?” Seattle Times editorial, 12/30/08

* * *

Arup Bored Tunnel Presentation To WSDOT, PSRC, 12/16/08

WSDOT Bored Tunnel Briefing, 12/16/08

Connelly: What’s Needed Is A Third Option For The Viaduct,” Cascadia Prospectus, 12/16/09

Final Meeting Notes, Viaduct Stakeholders Advisory Committee, 12/18/08

Viaduct Group Wants Tunnel Option On Table,” Seattle Times, 12/19/08

Bruce Agnew, Tim Ceis – On Deep Bored Tunnel Option, Dori Monson Show, KIRO-AM 710, 12/19/08

BACKGROUND

Letters to Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement Stakeholders Advisory Committee (12/8/08) and WSDOT Deputy Sec. David Dye (12/9/08) – from Richard Prust, Arup North America; Vladimir Khazak, HNTB; Dick Robbins, Founder, Robbins Co.; Kern Jacobsen; Gerhard Sauer, Sauer Corp. (Preceded by 12/10/08 news release)

Large Diameter Soft Ground Bored Tunnel Review,” Cascadia Center/Arup North America, 11/08 – (related summary charts & letter to Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement Stakeholders Advisory Committee, 11/20/08)

Cascadia Center March, 2008 report to Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement Stakeholders Advisory Committee on deep bore tunnel feasibility, 3/14/08

* * *

Lifecycle Engineering – Thinking Beyond Construction For Critical Infrastructure,” John Reilly, P.E., C.P. Eng.

Tunneling In Seattle – A History Of Innovation,” Robt. A. “Red” Robinson, Edward Cox, Martin Dirks; North American Tunnelling Conference, Seattle, Wash., 2002

Cascadia Center

Founded in 1993, as the Cascadia Project, Discovery Institute’s Cascadia Center for Regional Development is an important force in regional transportation and sustainable development issues. Cascadia is known for its involvement in transportation and development issues in the Cascadia Corridor, Puget Sound and in the U.S.-Canadian cross-border realm. We’ve recently added to that mix through a major program to promote U.S. efforts to reduce reliance on foreign oil, including the earliest possible development and integration of flex-fuel, plug-in, hybrid-electric vehicles.