I hope it sinks, we murder it like we should have 10 years ago, and build a cheaper cut-n-cover tunnel. The amount of money we spent on keeping the lanes open during construction alone aren't worth it. Let freight move, get everyone else off it, and build the resulting replacement faster, cheaper, and better.

Rip off the damn band-aid.

The only way we can know for sure is if the state produces a computerized animated simulation of what would happen.

One wonders if they even have accurate information on how far down the viaduct's footings were dug/poured to. ("oh look Fred there's a little note scribbled in the margin, `void fill on footing #15-3 +37ft'")

"WSDOT is encouraging people to use alternative modes of transportation while the viaduct is closed"

They're only encouraging people to do so? But if you still really want to use the Viaduct, you can?

@4: with the crown at 75' below the surface, does it matter?

is there any level of risk that's acceptable? I thought we hated the viaduct. I do.

FORWARD!

Quit your whining. For two weeks, you'll get to see how your "surface option" would work.

@5

Poorly worded, perhaps, but they are encouraging alternate forms of transportation, not alternate routes. So no, according to them, you can't just still take the viaduct.

"Explore other transit options with Puget Sound Trip Planner." Pause in thought. "While taking transit is a great alternative to driving, buses will be crowded during closure." The edit here reveals ulterior objectives. Still blacklisted, Plan B for Bertha, the bettah plan Warren Buffett don't like, still on our gas/oil/coal kick. Solar wind don't ring his thing, not that his thing would ring.

"take transit or carpool"
"to relieve traffic, HOV lanes will be open-to-all"

This is a fantastic combination. WSDOT obviously thought this one through.

There are more than 3 critical questions left unanswered:
1) The Deep-level water sump hypothesis,
2) Increase water volume/slurry formation along outside perimeter.
3)

3) Cascade fault giant ripple effect.
Please tell me you haven't given the worst potential catastrophe, toppling buildings,
instesd laughing at anyone freaked out enuf at the apparently NOT an obvious worst case disaster scenario unfolding before our eyes. YaA!! WashDOT f'd up the CRC too, with help from a pair of swell guys, Bill and Bill the Port Guys. Royal fps those two.
Those two NOT helping much either? Why did wsdot cancel Marine Dr rebuild FIRST after the 2011 month-long peer review and rejection of the first CRC double-deck nonsense crap?
Why did value-added goods with immediate replacements with their mile-longers from hell? The CRC was like a makework delay for roughly ulterior motives. Gov Bryant my azs!
STILL NOT TOO LATE FOR "PLAN B FOR BERTHA"
on record at wsdot since last April. FOLLOWS BIGGER STRONGER SEAWALL.
Will of you PLEASE use your f'n brains and f'n FIGHT back? Get the damn questions ANSWERS now, please.

http://www.thestranger.com/slog/2016/04/…
The 5 questions not answered article, must read Stranger.
.1) The Deep-level water sump hypothesis,
2) Increase water volume/slurry formation along outside perimeter.
3) Cascade fault giant ripple effect.
4+) related questions.
The worst potential catastrophe, toppling buildings, is highly probable,
This is a worst-case disaster scenario unfolding before our eyes. from a pair of swell guys, Bill and Bill the Port Guys. Royal fps those two. Gov Billy Bryant my butt.

STILL NOT TOO LATE FOR "PLAN B FOR BERTHA" (FOLLOWS ROUTE ALONG STRONGER SEAWALL). FEIS Pike/Pine Portal. Retain BST and extension per FEIS.

Just wait until that POS drill breaks down underneath a high-rise building downtown and our deciders start discussing whether it's appropriate to eminent domain an entire city block in order to condemn and raze the structures so they can save the project...

@17: please go look at the section profile of the tunnel. the crown of the tunnel is already 75' below the surface digging through what is basically fill. once it gets to the glacial till on the other side of Western, it goes deeper and deeper.

your scenario is unlikely.

@13-16: you sound crazy.

@7 - No, the 'surface option' would have removed the viaduct while making extensive changes to Alaskan Way, AND made a considerable number of improvements to the rest of the downtown grid as well. The surface option was distinctly not "remove viaduct, do nothing else". which is what we'll effectively have for the next two weeks or more.
--
I, for one, look forward to this two-week closure. Plus double that time for unforeseen issues. Plus double that time for another breakdown/ street subsidence/ Bertha sinking off-course into the lovely, water-soaked, liquifactable fill dirt down there/ political delays. So, two months min. Does anyone have a betting pool set up yet?

Oh hold on.... ¿are they just going to re-open the viaduct after that time? Really? So the viaduct that has had pieces fall off it post-Nisqually quake of 2001? The one that is so rickety that all the pilings have been reinforced with giant I-beams strapped in place for the past 13 years? You mean they're sure it won't suffer any more damage from the low-frequency drilling vibrations? Hmm.. really.

Man, I'm no engineer buy you couldn't pay me enough to drive on the viaduct again if they re-open it... good lord. Nope.

@18 - Really? A scenario that Bertha breaks down again is unlikely?