Beating out German competitor Herrenknecht and two others, Japanese firm Hitachi Zosen has won the contract to build the tunnel-boring machine that—if all goes to the governor’s plan—will dig the tube that will contain the new freeway that will be a schmancy deep-bore tunnel. The state reports from its series of tubes*:
Hitachi Zosen was the best value manufacturer based on overall technical requirements, support capabilities, price and schedule. Located in Osaka, Japan, Hitachi Zosen has successfully built a number of large-diameter tunnels including the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway (45 feet in diameter) and the Tokyo Bay Highway Tunnel (47 feet in diameter). They are currently supplying the tunnel boring machines for Sound Transit’s Capitol Hill Station to Pine Street segment and the Bay Tunnel near San Francisco, Calif.
This tunnel may be a stupid idea (under-performing, under-financed, oversold), but tunnel engineers are effing brilliant. At nearly 58 feet in diameter, this would be widest deep-bore tunnel ever built. KeDeena Yerkan, a spokeswoman for the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project, says she doesn’t know how much the contract will be. She’s looking into it.
* Tubes!
I’ve had a hard-on for Herrenknecht ever since that stunningly arousing article in The New Yorker a few years back. Now I look forward to getting turned on by Hitachi Zosen work, featuring the world’s thickest boring machine and the sexy, sexy hole it plows. Mpffh.
As engineering goes, this is a million times better than porn.
I’m pretty sure the excellent convection rice cooker I found at the Goodwill was manufactured by Hitachi Zosen. It’s much better than the Zojirushi I had spent one billion dollars on at Uwajamaya the year before (although it doesn’t play “twinkle twinkle little star” like that one did)
So I guess I feel pretty good about the tunnel. After all, it’s not like I have any choice.
the Times is reporting the initiative won’t be on the ballot, after all.
What, they couldn’t find a good used tunnel-boring machine?
Too bad they can’t legally do this before the mandatory EPA hearings.
@5, a tunnel-boring machine isn’t a finished consumer product you pick up at the dealer’s, like a car. Each one is assembled specially at the job site. And in fact I’m sure that many components will be reused from previous ones, and of course virtually ALL of it will be made from recycled steel, as is pretty much everything made of steel.
Oh, geez, Fnarf, that was said with tongue firmly in cheek. Lighten up a little, OK?
The article doesn’t tell you on company was Kent WA based inventor of tunnel boring machines the Robbins Company. No loyalty or honor among thieves in State government.