News Mar 1, 2017 at 6:15 pm

Bertha Stopped Because the Machine "May Be Several Inches Off" Tunnel Alignment, State Says

Sydney Brownstone
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Comments

1
What does that mean? That the drilling has now deviated from the planned route?
seatackled on March 1, 2017 at 6:20 PM Report this
2
@1 To some extent. It's good they caught it before it got worse!
Phoebe in Wallingford on March 1, 2017 at 6:47 PM Report this
3
I clicked on all of the links, and none of them mentioned the alignment issue. For those who are interested, here's a link to the West Seattle Blog

http://westseattleblog.com/2017/03/highw…
Catalina Vel-DuRay on March 1, 2017 at 6:53 PM Report this
4
Catalina's right. I can't find any other articles - only that Bertha is down for maintenance.

Is this fake news?
Phoebe in Wallingford on March 1, 2017 at 7:02 PM Report this
5
@3 Yay to the West Seattle Blog, it is like the local newspaper of my childhood except modernized for the digital era, on the 24 hour news cycle, and totally on steroids.
tedb310 on March 1, 2017 at 7:06 PM Report this
6
But now I just read the West Seattle Blog link. It's discussed there. I'm sorry Sydney.
Phoebe in Wallingford on March 1, 2017 at 7:16 PM Report this
7
And also, when you read the statement from WA-DOT (on the West Seattle Blog) you'll see that it is stopped for maintenance and readjustments, NOT because it "may be several inches off".

Really, Sydney dear. This post was not your shining moments.
Catalina Vel-DuRay on March 1, 2017 at 7:20 PM Report this
8
This is a non-story. Adjustments in alignment during tunnel excavation are normal, even expected, as indicated in the WS Blog article and confirmed in any tunneling trade journal - heck, ask someone in the engineering or construction schools at UW. The stoppage itself was a planned maintenance stop, which you probably could have found out with a quick phone call to the DOT.

Using the scare quotes was a nice touch, though. RAHR!!
Looking For a Better Read on March 1, 2017 at 7:29 PM Report this
9
It's amazing it works at all

They will correct it
balmontguy on March 1, 2017 at 7:29 PM Report this
10
OMG GIVE UP NOW.
Max Solomon on March 1, 2017 at 7:49 PM Report this
11
Sydney, do you have an indication that it was stopped /because/ it's some inches off, as the headline has it? It sounds like it's stopped for expected maintenance and expected realignment.

Not to be a prig, but accuracy is valuable.
Mtn. Beaver on March 1, 2017 at 8:08 PM Report this
12
they are adjusting. adjustments are common in tunneling projects. they have computer guidance that is accurate to 1mm. does the stranger have nothing else to write about?
nrutas on March 1, 2017 at 8:15 PM Report this
13
There is a major cover-up going on. Bertha is currently in Fremont, under Leary and 3rd.
DOUG. on March 1, 2017 at 8:56 PM Report this
14
Texting while driving these boring machines is a thing now. It's the dopamine reward for clicking your phone. Nobody can resist.
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn on March 1, 2017 at 9:51 PM Report this
15
Doug - ha ha - thank you.
Ph'nglui - can they get reception down there?
Still Thinking on March 2, 2017 at 2:05 AM Report this
16
@3 @4 @7 @11 http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news…
Sydney Brownstone on March 2, 2017 at 7:32 AM Report this
17
All whining aside, I really think Seattle is going to like the tunnel when it's all over at last. The Big Dig in Boston was a huge PITA, (my older brother lives there), but the end result has been pretty cool.
kylecheez on March 2, 2017 at 7:53 AM Report this
18
17
Totally cool.
"The Big Dig was the most expensive highway project in the US, and was plagued by escalating costs, scheduling overruns, leaks, design flaws, charges of poor execution and use of substandard materials, criminal arrests, and one death. The project was originally scheduled to be completed in 1998 at an estimated cost of $2.8 billion. However, the project was completed only in December 2007, at a cost of over $14.6 billion. The Boston Globe estimated that the project will ultimately cost $22 billion, including interest, and that it would not be paid off until 2038"
A View From The Edge on March 2, 2017 at 8:08 AM Report this
19
The misalignment must be pretty bad if West Seattle is worrying about it. ;-)
Holmes on March 2, 2017 at 9:07 AM Report this
20
I know the stranger has it in for Bertha, but this is a non story. A few inches off is fine. That is one of the reasons they stopped, so they can evaluate and make sure they hit their target during the final push.
garumph on March 2, 2017 at 9:30 AM Report this
21
@18 Far fewer traffic jams. Fewer accidents. Less pollution, noise, and grime. Improved biking and pedestrian access. Restaurants and shops that got a makeover and are now fun to go to, especially in the summer. Extremely cool.
kylecheez on March 2, 2017 at 10:46 AM Report this
22
Good thing that Governor Gregoire tore down the Viaduct in 2012 like she promised.
Will in Seattle on March 2, 2017 at 11:34 AM Report this
23
Big f-in' deal. If any of you are thinking this is a reason you and The Stranger were right in voting for the "Surface/Transit" teardown of the viaduct, please set your feeble memory back to Monday's Butane truck crash induced gridlock, and then punch yourself in the face for your stupid, stupid idea of making the waterfront nicer for rich people at the expense of us that need to get around.
Wesside on March 2, 2017 at 2:05 PM Report this
24
Yes Sydney dear. They updated it this morning. There's a little thing right there on the article that tells us......

"Originally published March 1, 2017 at 1:27 pm Updated March 2, 2017 at 7:29 am"
Catalina Vel-DuRay on March 2, 2017 at 3:14 PM Report this
25
@23 - you're not supposed to mention the road closures that have given a dry run of surface/transit and caused complete gridlock. Those automatically go down the memory hole. They're also totally not what would happen if you actually implemented surface/transit, which would be totally different because reasons.
Bax on March 3, 2017 at 6:11 AM Report this
27
I knew it! Complete failure. Fill the damn thing in and move on...
Arty Zifferelli on March 6, 2017 at 8:43 AM Report this
28
@26... No, I don't recall that. Source?
Arty Zifferelli on March 6, 2017 at 8:47 AM Report this
29
Bertha is back. [http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/…].

It was off by 6 inches and I'm glad The Stranger thinks that's impressive. Call me. *wink*
snapshotist on March 7, 2017 at 4:03 AM Report this

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