Over the weekend, area residents Elston and Jackline Hiil took a tour to see the SR 99 tunnel construction in downtown Seattle.
“The tours are free and fascinating,” Elston said. “We learned so much about how the drilling is done and why we should feel safe driving in the tunnel when it is completed. We walked directly over the location where Bertha is currently drilling, into the construction site, and up to the edge of the viaduct – which was eerie with no traffic.”
The trip begins at 211 First Ave South at the Milepost 31 visitor center, which has fascinating displays on the viaduct, Bertha, and the geology of the Puget Sound.
“Best of all, the visitor center and tour are free!”
Tours can be arranged here: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Viaduct/Tours
Progress of Bertha under the viaduct can be followed here: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Viaduct/99closure/progress
After 10 days of around-the-clock tunneling, the viaduct was reopened to traffic on Sunday, May 8. And there was much rejoicing in commuter land.
Click images to see larger versions/slideshow:
Here’s WSDOT’s drone tour of the Bertha construction put to music:
Click here to view the embedded video.
And just for fun, a clever Star Wars “Death Star” parody video by Sam Veatch: