MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Another WSDOT official calls it quits on Seattle tunnel project

Jul 27, 2015, 2:34 PM | Updated: Jul 28, 2015, 8:30 am

On Monday, Todd Trepanier, right, announced he took a position as the chief of the South Central Re...

On Monday, Todd Trepanier, right, announced he took a position as the chief of the South Central Region of the Washington State Department of Transportation, leaving the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program behind. (AP file photo)

(AP file photo)

The Seattle tunnel project is becoming further and further behind schedule and now the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program will lose one of its key employees.

On Monday, Todd Trepanier announced he took a position as the chief of the South Central Region of the Washington State Department of Transportation.

The transition is not related to the ongoing troubles the Seattle tunnel project and Bertha the boring machine has had, KING 5 reports. Trepanier already lives in Yakima, where he will work.

WSDOT expects to have a replacement before Trepanier leaves at the end of 2015.

However, Trepanier is now the second high-profile WSDOT employee to abandon the tunnel project. The Seattle Times reports Matt Preedy, the former deputy administrator for the tunnel, took a job with Sound Transit in June.

The tunnel project is now about 27 months behind schedule. Tunneling is expected to resume in November, three months later than originally planned. Trepanier told the Seattle City Council on Monday it has a March-April time frame to open to the public. The state is still expecting the contractor, Seattle Tunnel Partners, to deliver.

“As customers of STP, we’re definitely disappointed in that delay,” Trepanier said.

It looks like efforts to turn a portion of the viaduct into a park are making better headway than the tunnel right now.

Correction: In a previous version of this report, it was not made clear that Todd Trepanier will be replaced. The position will be filled as he transitions.

MyNorthwest News

Photo: On Monday, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced there will be 16 new preschool classrooms across Se...

Julia Dallas

Harrell’s office announces Seattle preschool slots for thousands of kids

Thousands more families will have the chance to start their children's Seattle preschool education earlier, thanks to a program launching.

8 hours ago

Digital...

Micki Gamez

How parents can help prevent children from falling victim to online sex crimes

Chances are, if your teen has a cell phone or tablet, they either know someone or they have been the victim of an online sex crime because kids as young as seven are online more than ever. My interest in this story began almost the same time last year when my daughter came home and […]

12 hours ago

Pierce County Jail...

Bill Kaczaraba

Pierce County Corrections chief at odds with the employee guild

The Corrections Bureau's Guild has issued Patti Jackson a vote of 'no confidence,' as reported by The Tacoma News Tribune.

13 hours ago

Image: A Seattle Police Department vehicle seen during the day...

Sam Campbell

Security guard stabbed, suspect barricades inside Beacon Hill apartment

SWAT officers surrounded a complex in Seattle's Beacon Hill neighborhood after police said a man stabbed a guard barricaded himself inside.

15 hours ago

seattle indecent exposure...

Frank Sumrall

Seattle man arrested for 14 counts of indecent exposure, most near schools

A 34-year-old man was arrested by Seattle police (SPD) in connection to 14 counts of indecent exposure near Lake Forest Park.

15 hours ago

Federal Way shootings...

Bill Kaczaraba

Federal Way Police say two shootings are related

Police believe two shootings in Federal Way are related.

17 hours ago

Another WSDOT official calls it quits on Seattle tunnel project