Pit stop over, Bertha gets back to boring
Jul 19, 2016, 10:04 AM | Updated: 11:24 am
On the right, a used cutting tool from Bertha. Left, a new tool. (WSDOT)
(WSDOT)
Crews resumed mining the Seattle tunnel Monday after several weeks of maintenance on Bertha the boring machine came to an end.
Workers inspected and repaired machine components during maintenance, which began June 23. A total of 33 of the more than 700 cutting tools on the machine were replaced, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Related: Bertha crews are in a tight spot, and under pressure
Bertha is about one-third the way through her journey under Seattle. The machine is located approximately 120 feet beneath Spring Street and tunneling toward First Avenue.
The project’s contractor expects to stop twice more for maintenance before pushing through to the north end of the tunnel near the Space Needle.
“I think we’re all pleased that the machine is running so well and it’s doing what it’s intended to do,” WSDOT spokesperson Lauara Newborn said in a recent interview. “There are still many months to go and different kinds of soils and I’m sure, different kinds of challenges that will arise, but Seattle Tunnel Partners, who is the design-build contractor for this project, is handling issues that come up very well.”
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