Comments on: SR-99 News Round-Up

By: Week In Review - Seattle Transit Blog

Week In Review - Seattle Transit Blog — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:27:38 +0000

[...] Tuesday, I said I hated the tunnel, though I’m warming to it. The Viaduct picture also became more [...]

By: Chris Stefan

Chris Stefan — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:08:06 +0000

I believe the current U-Link plans are to use 3 TBM machines for building U-link. I’m not sure if one of those TBM machines is the machine that was used for the Beacon Hill tunnel.

Personally I’d like to see any additional TBMs used to complete the segment to Northgate faster.

By: Oran

Oran — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:12:58 +0000

Yes, it’s GIS data. You can obtain GIS shapefiles from WSDOT for free.

By: crk on bellevue ave

crk on bellevue ave — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:20:41 +0000

is the BNSF line based on GIS data? If so, where did you find it? I merely guessed (abit correctly!) where it was at.

By: serial catowner

serial catowner — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:14:20 +0000

The breakdown lanes and widened shoulders have enough space to provide a rail line. Or, you could take away a traffic lane and provide two rail lines.

Just don’t plan to do it in the future and add rails now. Been there, done that.

By: RK

RK — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 06:24:29 +0000

Well, I messed that up. But anyway, it is an interesting study. Maybe some advocacy to include transit lanes will be worth it.

By: RK

RK — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 06:21:47 +0000

This Cascadia Center is interesting. Basically, the current proposed tunnel would be bigger than any bored tunnel currently open or under construction (though not necessarily the biggest by the time it is finished). Also, they show similarly sized projects in Moscow, Shanghai, and Madrid with transit lanes in addition to car lanes. This needs to happen.

By: Oran

Oran — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:55:40 +0000

Here’s my hastily thrown together map using data from King County, WSDOT, and the City of Seattle.

By: Douglas Tooley

Douglas Tooley — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:43:16 +0000

The problem isn’t the design, its the finances and the people behind it.

There are very good reasons Chopp is opposed to this, not to mention a whole lot of other people NOT on the payroll of the proponents.

Also, it does delay the solution. AND, with a surface option there is nothing stopping you from putting forth a proposal for a deep bore tunnel, waiting in line, just like everybody else.

By: Douglas Tooley

Douglas Tooley — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:40:40 +0000

Nothing has been said about Gregoire’s promised 2012 demolition date for the Viaduct, by my understanding that has just slipped three years.

FWIW, don’t assume State support for this project, especially an increase in State committments from 2.4 to 2.8. If Seattle was to take its share of Nickel and TPA pain that share would more likely drop 400 million.

As a matter of principle anyone who is asking for special deals above the interests of others, inside and outside of Seattle/King County is just offering to take the full hit themselves.

That is, if everyone else stands up to them, even if they don’t agree on other issues.

By: Matt the Engineer

Matt the Engineer — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:31:06 +0000

Now it works. Looks about right to me.

By: crk on bellevue ave

crk on bellevue ave — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:19:44 +0000

Give this link a shot instead

By: Matt the Engineer

Matt the Engineer — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:07:11 +0000

[crk] Your map just shows up as points to me. But I think the youtube video must be wrong, since it doesn’t show the rail tunnel crossing the bus tunnel between University and Westlake.

By: RK

RK — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:57:38 +0000

Yeah, I don’t know what kind of problem the sewer might pose to a future transit tunnel. If it blocks off 2nd, with the BNSF on 4th through much of downtown, then I guess 1st and 5th are your only options.

By: crk on bellevue ave

crk on bellevue ave — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:51:47 +0000

You think my little map here is accurate? I just guessed based on that youtube video, gut intuition and what I’ve read.

By: lazarus

lazarus — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:45:10 +0000

The DSTT crosses the BNSF railroad tunnel twice under downtown Seattle. First it crosses under the railroad tunnel at the south end of the DSTT somewhere in the vicinity of the Pioneer Square Station. Then it crosses over the railroad tunnel near University Ave somewhere.

The deep bore tunnel for Hwy 99 would cross the railroad tunnel only once – it would go under it somewhere in the vicinity of University/Union (I think) and 1st Ave. It would also pass well under it so tunneling should be easier.

The deep bore tunnel also shouldn’t interfere with placing an underground LR line on 2nd Ave. However, the tunnel animation shows an 8 foot sewer line on what must be 2nd Ave – this could be a problem, but is totally unrelated to the viaduct replacement program.

By: crk on bellevue ave

crk on bellevue ave — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:32:38 +0000

Further, wikipedia claims the BNSF line goes under benaroya hall, which would mean it at least does something on third.

There has to be a map somewhere. I have never, ever seen one. That said, I never tried the library, just online.

If I was a gambling man, looking at a map and thinking about how sharply the bends could be, my money is starting from the king street station the BNSF goes up to like 4th, then kind of makes a gradual arc, goes under benayora and follows a straight line to the exit. Something like this.

By: RK

RK — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:23:05 +0000

I don’t believe this is accurate. I believe it crosses the bus tunnel twice; the second time under the University Street Station, as can clearly be seen on the video.

By: Matt the Engineer

Matt the Engineer — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:14:40 +0000

Great find. But I find it very strange that it crosses both at the south end and between Westlake and University, but the train somehow ends up at the waterfront. What a strange path the train must take! (take a look at p. 6 of your last link and try to imagine the route)

By: crk on bellevue ave

crk on bellevue ave — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:01:23 +0000

From here, the tunnel turns south down Third Avenue towards the south portal. Shield excavators created the Third Avenue section of the tunnel. The tunnel section between Westlake Station and the next stop, University Street Station, passes over the Burlington Northern train tunnel, which is the main north-south rail facility in the region. The University Street Station directly connects to Benaroya Concert Hall as well as the financial district. Five blocks further south is the Pioneer Square Station and the historic district. The final tunnel section is a curve-shaped portion leading to the south portal. This is the only part of the tunnel that is below sea level, and it passes merely 4 feet below the Burlington Northern Railroad tunnel. Since construction, this juncture has been stabilized with a chemical grout. The southern portal opens up to the open air International District Station. A concrete lidded area is just south of the station platform for bus staging.
Some report, page 4