Big Bertha coming together for Seattle summer tunnel drilling
May 21, 2013, 2:09 PM | Updated: 2:37 pm
The world’s largest-diameter tunneling machine is coming together just west of Safeco Field and Century Link Field.
Work has been going almost non-stop to assemble what’s been dubbed ‘Bertha’ after a 5,000-mile journey from Japan.
A newly released time lapse video shows crews putting together the 41 pieces that make up the drilling machine. WSDOT says in addition to lowering her pieces into the launch pit for assembly, crews will conduct a series of rigorous tests to ensure she’s up to snuff before tunneling begins this summer.
The two-mile tunnel will run beneath downtown and replace the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct. The tunnel is scheduled to open in 2015.
