Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Tunnel

[mrsman]

I find interesting that the emergency walking exit signage is so prominent.  It is almost as though they expect people to be jogging in the shoulder.

In contrast, here is a pic of the NJ 29 tunnel near Trenton and an emergency exit:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.196675,-74.7576709,3a,75y,223.01h,87.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spZc_qq7jxb4-AXeQ_ncxSA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Alps]

I find interesting that the emergency walking exit signage is so prominent.  It is almost as though they expect people to be jogging in the shoulder.

In contrast, here is a pic of the NJ 29 tunnel near Trenton and an emergency exit:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.196675,-74.7576709,3a,75y,223.01h,87.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spZc_qq7jxb4-AXeQ_ncxSA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

NJ 29 is not a confined space, and laws about emergency signs have progressed in 20 years.

[ErmineNotyours]

Wow.  The Viaduct has been removed from Google Maps.

They recently redid the signage in the I-90 tunnels: purple haze.

[MCRoads]

Its opening on MONDAY!!! I hope someone gets a video of it on YouTube soon!

[ErmineNotyours]

What a day!  We got to walk through the Battery Street Tunnel, and even see this control room:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/TvWwg8WP1k8

[ErmineNotyours]

On the Battery Street Tunnel, I noticed older cautionary signs still stuck directly to the pavement behind the newer signs in front.

Ghost cautionary signs still stuck behind later signs by Arthur Allen, on Flickr

This off-model George, with extra detail not on a regular WSDOT installation was probably made by the City of Seattle.

Off-model Washington State Highway sign. by Arthur Allen, on Flickr

Ramp stub that was never completed.  There are ramps to and from the south, but the ramps to and from the north were never completed.

Alaska Way Viaduct ramp stub by Arthur Allen, on Flickr

[MantyMadTown]

I have an article by the Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/a-look-at-how-transportation-can-transform-a-city/2019/01/31/da8418de-0ec4-11e9-8938-5898adc28fa2_story.html?utm_term=.cdfffa380e95

Sorry there's a paywall since it's the Washington Post. Is there a way I can post just the text of this article, or is that not allowed?

[oscar]

Sorry there's a paywall since it's the Washington Post. Is there a way I can post just the text of this article, or is that not allowed?

Best to quote key excerpts from the article, to respect the Post's copyright. That's common practice on this forum, and has been done in early posts in this thread.

BTW, I don't have a paywall problem, as a Washington Post subscriber.

The article notes the new tunnel is the longest road tunnel in the contiguous U.S. (a/k/a "the lower 48"). Alaska has a longer one, the 2.5 mile-long Anton Anderson one-lane shared auto/rail tunnel to Whittier.

[Bruce]

Some drone footage of the Tunnel to Viaduct 8K run from earlier this morning.

[Bruce]

A few crowd shots from the viaduct:

[ErmineNotyours]

Some history of the Viaduct:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/5D6RdRRGSrQ

[kwellada]

I have an article by the Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/a-look-at-how-transportation-can-transform-a-city/2019/01/31/da8418de-0ec4-11e9-8938-5898adc28fa2_story.html?utm_term=.cdfffa380e95

Sorry there's a paywall since it's the Washington Post. Is there a way I can post just the text of this article, or is that not allowed?

If you're on a desktop browser, you can rightclick and open it in a private window (assuming you're using Chrome or Firefox).  That'll bypass the cookies that determine how many free articles you've read this month.

[ErmineNotyours]

More photos from the event: https://pauldorpat.com/2019/02/03/last-walk-on-the-viaduct/

Also, yesterday gave me the opportunity to see something else that had always rushed by too fast: evidence of how they had to squeeze in the Viaduct between existing buildings:

Tight fit on the Alaska Way Viaduct by Arthur Allen, on Flickr

[Truvelo]

^^ Judging by the damage to the corners of the bricks it appears the barriers didn't always do their jobs.

[Bruce]

More photos from the event: https://pauldorpat.com/2019/02/03/last-walk-on-the-viaduct/

Also, yesterday gave me the opportunity to see something else that had always rushed by too fast: evidence of how they had to squeeze in the Viaduct between existing buildings:

Tight fit on the Alaska Way Viaduct by Arthur Allen, on Flickr

That's the Empire Laundry Building (now a condo building). According to HistoryLink:

In condemnation maps prepared in 1948, it appears that the engineers planned to pass very close to the building, but not encroach upon it. When construction crews reached the corner of the building and realized they would need to pass through about a foot of a corner of the building, the engineers determined, with the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads, that they could cut a notch out of the viaduct's railing and curb to go around the building.

The city paid the building owner $7,500 as compensation.

[jakeroot]

Something tells me, something like that would never happen today.

[Bruce]

A few tunnel pictures.

[Beltway]

Did they let them walk from end to end in the tunnel?

By the way, no tiles ... the fireproofing material on the walls is the final surface.  Just like in the new Midtown Tunnel in Norfolk/Portmouth, VA.  Modern LED lighting is so much brighter that tiled walls are not needed.

Exposed concrete on top of tunnel, a ceiling is not needed for a plenum ventilation system as the modern tunnels use jet fans.

[Bruce]

Did they let them walk from end to end in the tunnel?

By the way, no tiles ... the fireproofing material on the walls is the final surface.  Just like in the new Midtown Tunnel in Norfolk/Portmouth, VA.  Modern LED lighting is so much brighter that tiled walls are not needed.

Exposed concrete on top of tunnel, a ceiling is not needed for a plenum ventilation system as the modern tunnels use jet fans.

Yes, with the full (free) ticket, you were able to walk from either end of the tunnel to the other side (with optional turnbacks). If you ended at the south portal, you could then board a shuttle bus (running through the northbound tunnel...bidirectionally) to the north portal. Access to the viaduct and Battery tunnel was allowed from the north portal as well as the Seneca ramp.

The bicycle race and marathon also used the lower deck and sections of the freeway further south of the portal.

[Henry]

I'm ready to drive the tunnel for the first time today!

[jakeroot]

Interesting video a light-less, snowy viaduct from KING-5. Recorded this morning around 3 or 4 am. Bit ominous.

https://youtu.be/FY-h_lAOesA

[ErmineNotyours]

Another Seattle Channel video on the Viaduct:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/DFWmuRBp1TU

[The Ghostbuster]

In the newsmagazine, The Week's internet homepage, there is a writer (a Seattle native) who flew in from New York to pay her final respects to the elevated Alaskan Way viaduct. The story is found here: https://theweek.com/articles/821658/why-flew-2000-miles-say-goodbye-freeway-overpass.

[Bruce]

In the newsmagazine, The Week's internet homepage, there is a writer (a Seattle native) who flew in from New York to pay her final respects to the elevated Alaskan Way viaduct. The story is found here: https://theweek.com/articles/821658/why-flew-2000-miles-say-goodbye-freeway-overpass.

I have to disagree with her points about the view being lost. The same views of the bay can be seen from the new Pike Place Market overlook (which will connect via elevated terraces to the aquarium), or y'know...one of the many public piers along the waterfront already. There's also no land on the viaduct ROW that is being sold to condo developers...in fact, the existing condo and land owners are paying for most of the cost of the waterfront improvement projects, so we should be thankful. There was also nothing nice about forcing people to live and work with the extra noise and air pollution that the viaduct created.

Good riddance.

[Plutonic Panda]

I disagree. As much as I like tunnels, it would have been nice to see the Viaduct rebuilt in addition to a tunnel. But alas, I can see the reason those around will enjoy it being gone.