What will replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct?
What will replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct?
The south portal to the new State Route 99 tunnel is now open to traffic, replacing the seismically vulnerable Alaskan Way Viaduct along the Seattle waterfront.
Why was the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle replaced by a tunnel?
In addition to making travel safer, WSDOT officials also recognized that replacing the viaduct provided the city with an opportunity to restore access between downtown and a revitalized waterfront area.
What is the plan for Seattle waterfront?
Waterfront Seattle will rebuild Alaskan Way from S King to Pike streets, and build a new street, known as Elliott Way, from Pike to Bell streets. The new surface street will span a total of 17 blocks from Pioneer Square to Belltown, with two lanes of traffic in either direction for the majority of the street.
Is the Seattle tunnel complete?
The viaduct closed permanently on January 11, 2019.
Who objected to the Alaskan Way Viaduct?
The Seattle City Council objected, voting 6-3 to put two alternatives on a March 2007 advisory ballot: a new elevated highway or a four-lane shallow tunnel. Gregoire then said she wanted to hear what voters thought, clarifying, “I will never, ever say that a vote of the people is a waste.”
Why was Alaskan Way Viaduct demolished?
This was due to the need for a pedestrian bridge that allowed walk-on ferry passengers to access the terminal. On September 5, 2019, the old bridge leading to and from Colman Dock was closed and removed; a new pedestrian bridge opened on September 22, connecting to a new ferry terminal.
Where did almost all the rubble from the Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition end up?
As the roadway sections came down, the materials were first hauled to Terminal 25 adjacent to the West Seattle Bridge, where they were crushed into small pieces, and then transported back to the north end of the viaduct, where they were used as fill material in the decommissioned Battery Street Tunnel.
How deep is the tunnel under Seattle?
At its lowest point, the tunnel crown is at elevation -95 feet, and it is 215 feet deep at its greatest depth below grade. Development along the alignment consists of on-grade and elevated roadways, buildings ranging from single-story to high-rise structures, railroad and sewer tunnels, and public and private utilities …
Why was the Alaskan Way Viaduct built?
The Alaskan Way Viaduct was originally built to carry a section of U.S. Route 99, the main north–south highway in Washington and along the U.S. West Coast. The highway previously used downtown streets, but rising automobile congestion in the 1920s sparked proposals for a limited-access bypass of Seattle.
What is the difference between a viaduct and a bridge?
A viaduct is a long bridge-like structure carrying a road or railway across a valley or other low ground. Bridges are built across rivers or arms of the sea, whereas viaducts tend to cross valleys and low lying areas where there may or may not be a river.