Tag: Washington State Route 99

Roadbuilding
Bertha pushes past halfway point of tunneling for Washington’s SR 99
Bertha, the largest tunnel-boring machine in the world, has made it past the halfway point of its 9,270-foot journey beneath Seattle to create a tunnel for State Route 99. The tunnel will replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct and is expected to open to traffic in early 2019, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. […]
October 4, 2016
Crews working for Seattle Tunnel Partners fill in the pit used to access and repair Bertha, the SR 99 tunneling machine on Dec. 14, 2015. Sand was delivered into the pit through the flexible pipe on the left, and was then spread out and compacted by crews inside the pit. Photo credit: WSDOT via Flickr
Construction Equipment
Drilling delays a problem for tunnel-boring machine Big Bertha even as she slumbers below ground
Crews in Seattle are now expected to finish digging a 12-story pit to reach stalled tunnel-boring machine Big Bertha one month later than planned due to concrete pilings proving more difficult to drill through than expected, according to a report from the Seattle Times. Bertha, the world’s largest tunnel-boring machine went down from overheating in late January, […]
July 31, 2014
A shot of the Big Bertha repair pit jobsite on July 30. Construction of the pit has been delayed one month due to drilling problems.
Construction Equipment
Repairs to Big Bertha will include 86 tons of steel reinforcement to tunnel-boring machine’s bearing, cutter drive
The largest tunnel-boring machine in the world needs a bit of reinforcement against the “wet and abrasive soils” deep below Seattle, according to a report from the Seattle Times. As such, repairs for Big Bertha will include the installation of 216 steel ribs and plates that will add 86 tons to the 7,000-ton machine, the paper […]
June 18, 2014
The Big Bertha repair pit site as of June 18, 2014.
Construction Equipment
Unstoppable Force, Immovable Object: Seattle’s Big Bertha halted by mystery object
Has Big Bertha met her match? She has, at least for the time being. The world’s largest tunnel-boring machine was recently brought to a halt 60 feet beneath the streets of Seattle, Washington when it hit an unknown object and could move no farther, reported KOMOnews.com. The five-story head of the machine was completely brought […]
December 19, 2013
Bertha isn’t exactly incapable of going through solid objects. Here, she starts her 2-mile journey by chewing through a wall in July. Credit: WSDOT Flickr
Construction Equipment
Big Bertha, world’s largest tunnel-boring machine, lowered into starting position in Seattle
With the digging of the Washington State Route 99 tunnel in Seattle scheduled to start in July, the Washington State Department of Transportation recently lowered the head of Big Bertha, the world’s largest tunnel-boring machine, into the pit that will serve as its starting position. Bertha made her triumphant arrival in Seattle at the beginning of April […]
June 5, 2013
Big Bertha lowered into pit
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