Crews begin reassembling Bertha as repairs wrap up
Aug 6, 2015, 4:44 PM | Updated: 5:03 pm
The machine responsible for boring a tunnel under Seattle is being prepped to be placed back into the ground. (WSDOT)
(WSDOT)
The machine responsible for boring a tunnel under Seattle is being prepared to be placed back into the ground.
Crews with Seattle Tunnel Partners, the contracting team hired to design and build the tunnel that will replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct, will soon lower the repaired front end of Bertha the boring machine into an access pit.
Much of the repair and assembly of Bertha is complete, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. Tunnel Partners is waiting for parts for the machine’s new bearing system.
Related: New schedule released for Bertha, Seattle tunnel project
Though pieces of the machine will be lowered into the pit about two weeks later than expected, Tunnel Partners “has a plan in place” to resume tunneling in late November, as scheduled.
The company responsible for the crane that will be used to reassemble Bertha will begin running tests as soon as next week. The machine’s front end will be reassembled at the surface.
Repairs on Bertha began in March.
There is still about 8,000 feet of digging to go. The tunnel is expected to open in March 2018.
