December 14, 2007
"The Deep-Bore Bypass: A Practical Solution For The Post-Viaduct Era"

POST-EVENT NOTICE: Please scroll down for event recap, media coverage, and speaker Powerpoint presentations. (Please note most of them are large and may take a minute or two to download).

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Free. Register with Jennifer Zucati at jenniferz@discovery.org or 206-292-0401 x157.

Join Cascadia Center on December 14, 2007 at the Rainier Square Conference Center in Seattle from 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. to hear international experts review new deep-bore tunnel technologies. - Lunch provided.

ADDRESS: Rainer Square Conference Center: 1333 5th Ave., 3rd floor, Seattle - map.

PROGRAM: Is a deep-bore bypass tunnel in the future for Alaskan Way Viaduct? Washington Governor Chris Gregoire has commissioned a collaborative process to reach a consensus on replacement of the dangerously earthquake-prone Alaskan Way Viaduct on State Route 99. Results of this forum will be sent to her and other elected and community leaders. Most agree that we will need surface transit enhancements before removing the existing structure.

A deep-bore bypass tunnel for the congested Highway 99 corridor could allow us to fix the problem with minimal impacts on downtown during construction. Deep-bore tunnel machines have been used for Sound Transit's Beacon Hill Tunnel and a 21 mile Swiss Alps tunnel (cost: $3.2 billion) Can a deep-bore tunnel bypass project be coordinated with needed improvements in the Mercer Corridor, on SR 520 and an I-5 rebuild within the existing footprint, from downtown to Northgate? How can costs be contained?

Come learn more from top experts in the field.

AGENDA

11:30 - Registration

11:45 - Lunch

12:00 - Gary Lawrence, Urban Strategies Leader, ARUP: introductions. Gary Lawrence provides ARUP, the global consulting and engineering firm, leadership for strategic urban development throughout the firm's 87 global offices.

12:05 - Red Robinson, Senior Vice President of Underground Services, Shannon & Wilson: TBM tunneling in Seattle. Red Robinson has been with the geo-technical firm of Shannon & Wilson, Inc. for over 30 years. He has worked on major transit tunnels in Washington D.C., New York, Boston, and Baltimore.

12:20 - Jack Brockway, Senior Vice President, Herrenknecht Tunneling Systems USA, Inc.: TBM technology. The parent company is the largest tunnel-boring machine manufacturer in the world. Brockway is responsible for North America Herrenknecht tunneling activities.

12:35 - John Reilly, Principal, John Reilly Associates: thinking beyond construction. John Reilly has been President of the American Underground Construction Association and Chair of two International Tunneling Association Working Groups.

12:50 - Jeff Hall, Vice President, Cofiroute: the A86 Paris tunnel. Cofiroute is a major concessionaire that arranged financing and put together the team that worked with the contractor, Vinci, to construct the Paris tunnel.

1:10 - Bob Parks, President, Acciona Canada: M30 Madrid tunnel project.

1:30 - (via teleconference) Alan Dyke, Consultant, ARUP: the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Alan Dyke is the former Managing Director of Union Railways, the client organization for the high-speed rail link between London and the Channel Tunnel.

1:45 - Gary Lawrence: wrap-up.

1:50 - Break.

2:00 - Response Panel.

Kern Jacobsen, EarthTech

John Littel, NW Building Trades Council

Seattle City Councilmember Jan Drago (*invited)

*Also invited to contribute response comments are members of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Seattle Association.

RSVP: Event is free. RSVP to Cascadia Program Manager Jennifer Zucati at jenniferz@discovery.org or 206-292-0401 ext 157.

BACKGROUND MATERIALS:

"Viaduct Bypass, I-5 Expansion Should Be Linked," Bruce Agnew, Puget Sound Business Journal, Aug. 10, 2007

"Bored By All Those Viaduct Choices? Think Again," Glenn R. Pascall, Puget Sound Business Journal, March 16, 2007.

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EVENT RECAP, MEDIA COVERAGE + SPEAKER POWERPOINTS

Media coverage
"Tunnel Returns To Debate Over Viaduct Options," Seattle Times, 12/15/07.

Event Recap + Powerpoint access tips
A capacity crowd joined Cascadia and its distinguished panel of deep-bore tunneling experts at the event. We'll be providing a more detailed recap here later, but for now, we're sure you'll find informative the speaker Powerpoint presentations. To view these, you'll need to have Microsoft Powerpoint installed on your computer, and after each file downloads to your desktop, you may need to enter the file from your desktop to view it. Most of these are rather large files, and may each take a minute or two to download. NOTE: if it seems like nothing is happening, check your desktop screen for new Powerpoint file icons, then click to open.

Dec. 14 speakers' Powerpoint presentations
Alan Dyke, Channel Tunnel Rail Link

Bob Park, Acciona, M30 Madrid Tunnel

Gary Lawrence, Arup

Jack Brockway, Herrenknecht

Jeff Hall, Cofiroute, Paris A86 Tunnel

John Reilly, John Reilly Associates

Red Robinson, Shannon and Wilson