89 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Sound Transit site:

 

Sound Transit completes first light rail tunnel from Northgate to Roosevelt

 

March 18, 2015

 

Tunnel boring machine for Northgate Link extension reaches site of future Roosevelt station

 

Sound Transit tunneling contractors reached the wall of the future Roosevelt light rail station today, exposing a small section of the boring machine cutterhead and completing the first 1.5-mile segment of a 4.3-mile tunnel that will serve light rail trains from Northgate Mall to the University of Washington starting in 2021.

 

"This machine churned through hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of earth to reach Roosevelt Station," said Sound Transit Board Chair and King County Executive Dow Constantine. "Now on to the U-District Station, and then to Husky Stadium."

The tunnel work completed today by the boring machine nicknamed "Brenda" is the first of six tunnels being mined as part of the Northgate Link light rail expansion. The machine launched last July from the Maple Leaf Portal at NE 92nd Street just east of Interstate 5 and south of Northgate Mall. Once it finishes boring through the station wall at Roosevelt, it will undergo maintenance at the site before continuing south and connecting later with the completed University of Washington Station, which opens with University Link early next year. 

 

A second machine nicknamed "Pamela" launched from the Maple Leaf Portal last November. It is expected to arrive at the Roosevelt site this summer. Both tunnels are expected to be complete by mid-2016. Cross-passages and tunnel finishes are scheduled for completion in early 2018. When service starts in 2021, light rail trains will enter and exit the tunnels at the Maple Leaf Portal.

 

Each tunnel boring machine weighs 600 tons and is more than 300 feet long including the trailing gear. The cutterheads are 21 ½ feet in diameter. By the time tunneling is finished, a total of more than 500,000 cubic yards of soil will have been excavated and over 7,200 concrete rings used to line the tunnels. 

 

When complete, the $2.1 billion Northgate Link Extension will connect the University of Washington Station at Husky Stadium to underground stations in the U District and Roosevelt neighborhood, and to an elevated station at Northgate. The extension from Northgate will provide 14-minute rides to downtown, seven-minute rides to Husky Stadium, and 47-minute rides to Sea-Tac Airport. Riders from Roosevelt Station will reach the airport in 45 minutes. 

 

More information on the Northgate Link Extension Project can be found at soundtransit.org/northgatelink.

 

[KevinKorell]

PROJECT UPDATE: Northgate Link Extension

Tunneling crews continue to advance tunnel boring machine Brenda through the Roosevelt Station excavation site. Crews plan to have Brenda repaired and refurbished for a re-launch to U District station in early May. TBM Pamela is currently just north of NE 82nd Street and should arrive in Roosevelt in summer.

Northgate Station power line relocation work begins
Utility relocation work is under way along First Avenue NE in Northgate. Crews shifted traffic around the work between NE 100th and NE 103rd streets. This work is scheduled through summer. The utility relocation work is needed ahead of construction of Northgate Station.
 

 

Dewatering well installation continues south along tunnel alignment
Drilling crews are getting soil conditions just right for cross passage construction in the Roosevelt neighborhood. A cross passage is a safety exit between two tunnels. Above the surface, crews operate a drill rig to install a dewatering well to draw water away from the underground work area. Drillers are currently working at NE 69th Street and will soon head to NE 63rd Street in early April.
 

 

NE 65th Street and 12th Avenue NE restoration just days from completion
Road crews plan to have the restoration of the NE 65th Street and 12th Avenue NE intersection complete by the week of April 6, depending on weather. All Roosevelt Station site construction related detours and parking restrictions near the intersection will be removed after the paving and striping is complete.
 

 

U District Station excavation halfway there
Excavation crews have removed about half the soil from the U District Station box. By the time they’re finished, they’ll have removed more than 135,000 cubic yards of soil.
 

 

University of Washington Station VIP Tour!
Shop or dine at a participating U District or Roosevelt business and enter to win a behind the scenes Sound Transit VIP Tour of the University of Washington light rail station.

To be eligible, you must spend at least $5 and complete an entry form at one of the participating businesses. You can enter every time you visit. You must be at least 18 years old.

A drawing will be held in May to select the winners. You will be notified by email or phone. No entry form information will be shared or sold to an outside party and this prize has no cash value.
 

 

For more information
For more information about the Northgate Link Extension Project, please contact the Northgate Link Extension project team at 206-398-5300 or northlink@soundtransit.org.
You can also visit the Northgate Link Extension web page.

[KevinKorell]

Update on Northgate LINK, 7/13/15, from press release:

 

 

Sound Transit finishes second light rail tunnel from Northgate to Roosevelt

 

July 13, 2015

 

Second tunnel boring machine for Northgate Link extension reaches site of future Roosevelt station

 

Sound Transit's second tunnel boring machine for the Northgate Link light rail extension reached the wall of the future Roosevelt light rail station today, completing the second 1.5-mile segment of a 3.4-mile tunnel that will serve light rail trains from Northgate Mall to the University of Washington starting in 2021.

 

"Our second Northgate Link tunnel machine has reached the Roosevelt Station, halfway from the North Portal to the U District," said Sound Transit Board Chair and King County Executive Dow Constantine. "This keeps Sound Transit right on schedule to get the digging done by mid-2016 and Northgate Link in operation by 2021."

 

The work completed today is the second of six tunnels being mined by Sound Transit tunneling contractors as part of the Northgate Link light rail extension. "Pamela," the tunnel boring machine, or TBM, that reached the Roosevelt site today, launched last November from the Maple Leaf Portal just east of Interstate 5 and south of Northgate Mall. When the machine finishes boring through the station wall at Roosevelt, it will be refurbished before continuing to the U District station site and later connecting with the completed University of Washington Station.

 

Another tunnel boring machine nicknamed "Brenda" launched from the Maple Leaf Portal last July. That TBM reached the Roosevelt site in March and is expected to arrive at the U District site this fall.

 

Both tunnels are expected to be complete by mid-2016. Cross-passages and tunnel finishes are scheduled for completion in early 2018. When service starts in 2021, light rail trains will enter and exit the tunnels at the Maple Leaf Portal.

 

Each tunnel boring machine weighs 600 tons and is more than 300 feet long with trailing gear. The cutter heads -the rotating faces of the machine that bore underground - are 21 ½ feet in diameter. By the time tunneling is finished, a total of more than 500,000 cubic yards of soil will have been excavated and over 7,200 concrete rings used to line the tunnels.

 

When complete, the $2.1 billion Northgate Link Extension will connect the University of Washington Station at Husky Stadium to underground stations in the U District and Roosevelt neighborhood, and to an elevated station at Northgate. The 4.3-mile extension from Northgate will provide 14-minute rides to downtown, seven-minute rides to Husky Stadium, and 47-minute rides to Sea-Tac Airport. Riders from Roosevelt Station will reach the airport in 44 minutes.

 

Raw video of the hole-through is available at https://vimeo.com/133405969

[CNJRoss]

Sound Transit press release:

 

Sound Transit tunnel boring machine reaches U District station site

06-Nov-2015

 

Mining of third light rail tunnel segment for Northgate Link extension completed, cross-passage and other tunneling work continue

 

 

The tunnel boring machine known as “Brenda” bored through the wall of Sound Transit’s future U District light rail station today, completing the third segment of the twin 3.5-mile tunnels that will serve light rail trains from Northgate Mall to the University of Washington starting in 2021.

 

See video of the tunnel boring machine finale at https://vimeo.com/144926809.

 

“The machine has now dug out 200,000 tons of dirt to reach the U-District Station,” said Sound Transit Board Chair and King County Executive Dow Constantine. “Three tunnel segments are done; three more to go to reach Husky Stadium.”

 

The boring today completed the third of six tunnel segments being mined by JCM Northlink LLC, Sound Transit’s tunneling contractor for the Northgate Link light rail extension. “Brenda” launched July 2014 from the Maple Leaf Portal at NE 92nd Street south of Northgate Mall. It will undergo maintenance at the U District station site before continuing south and connecting with the University of Washington Station, which opens with University Link first quarter next year.

 

A second machine named “Pamela” launched from the Maple Leaf Portal last November. It is expected to arrive at the U District site early next year. Tunneling with the tunnel boring machines is expected to be complete by the third quarter of 2016. Tunnel finishes and cross-passages, which connect the train tunnels and provide emergency exits, are scheduled to be complete by the first quarter of 2018. When light rail service on the Northgate Link extension begins in 2021, trains will enter and exit the tunnels at the Maple Leaf Portal.

 

To date, Sound Transit has bored nine tunnel segments for Link light rail construction. Mining of the twin tunnels serving the Beacon Hill Station were completed in 2008. Mining of parallel tunnels between downtown and the University Link Capitol Hill Station, and the Capitol Hill Station and University of Washington Station, finished in 2012. When the remaining three tunnels for Northgate Link are complete, Sound Transit will have mined a total of twelve tunnels for light rail construction.

 

Each tunnel boring machine weighs 600 tons and is more than 300 feet long including the trailing gear. The cutterheads are 21 ½ feet in diameter. By the time tunneling is finished, more than 500,000 cubic yards of soil will have been excavated and more than 7,200 concrete rings will have been installed to line the tunnels.

 

The $1.9 billion Northgate Link Extension will connect the University of Washington Station at Husky Stadium to underground stations in the U District and Roosevelt neighborhood, and to an elevated station at Northgate. The 4.3-mile extension from Northgate will provide 14-minute rides to downtown, seven-minute rides to Husky Stadium, and 47-minute rides to Sea-Tac Airport. Riders from Roosevelt Station will reach the airport in 44 minutes.

 

More information on the Northgate Link Extension Project can be found at soundtransit.org/northgatelink.

[CNJRoss]

Sound Transit news release:

Second Sound Transit tunnel boring machine reaches U District Station site

Mar 24, 2016

 

Mining of fourth light rail tunnel segment for Northgate Link Extension completed, two tunnel segments remain as cross-passage and other tunneling work continue

 

 

The second tunnel boring machine holed through the wall of Sound Transit’s future U District light rail station today, completing the fourth segment of the twin 3.5-mile tunnels that will serve light rail trains from Northgate to the University of Washington starting in 2021.

 

See video of the tunnel boring machine finale at https://vimeo.com/160283532.

 

“Just days after we celebrated the opening of the new light-rail station at Husky Stadium, we’ve reached an important milestone on a tunnel project that will connect the University District to high-capacity mass transit,” said Sound Transit Board Chair and King County Executive Dow Constantine. “With more tunneling work under way and construction of Northgate Station starting this year, we’re on target to extend fast, reliable light-rail service to Northgate in 2021.”

 

The hole through today completed the fourth of six tunnel segments being mined by JCM Northlink LLC, Sound Transit’s tunneling contractor for the Northgate Link light rail extension. The tunnel boring machine today, TBM #2, launched from the Maple Leaf Portal at Northeast 94th Street south of Northgate Mall November 2014. Another tunnel boring machine, TBM #1, launched from the Maple Leaf Portal July 2014 and reached the U District Station site last November. It is expected to reach Husky Stadium within the next two weeks.

 

Both machines will undergo a thorough inspection at their respective hole-through sites. Once inspections are complete, the contractor will determine which machine will be used to mine the final tunnel segment. Crews will then spend two to three months refurbishing the selected TBM to prepare for its launch to the University of Washington.

 

Tunneling with the tunnel boring machines is expected to be complete by the end of this year. Tunnel finishes and cross passages, which connect the train tunnels and provide emergency exits, are scheduled to be complete by the first quarter of 2018. When light rail service on the Northgate Link Extension begins in 2021, trains will enter and exit the tunnels at the Maple Leaf Portal.

 

Each tunnel boring machine weighs 600 tons and is more than 300 feet long including the trailing gear. The cutterheads are 21 ½ feet in diameter. By the time tunneling is finished, more than 500,000 cubic yards of soil will have been excavated and more than 7,200 concrete rings will have been installed to line the tunnels.

 

The $1.9 billion Northgate Link Extension will connect the University of Washington Station at Husky Stadium to underground stations in the U District and Roosevelt neighborhood and to an elevated station at Northgate. The 4.3-mile extension from Northgate will provide 14-minute rides to downtown, seven-minute rides to Husky Stadium and 47-minute rides to Sea-Tac Airport. Riders from Roosevelt Station will reach the airport in 44 minutes.

 

More information on the Northgate Link Extension Project can be found at www.soundtransit.org/northgatelink.

[CNJRoss]

Sound Transit news release:

 

Sound Transit tunnel boring machine reaches University of Washington Station

Mar 30, 2016

 

Mining of tunnel that will serve northbound light rail trains to Northgate complete, one tunnel segment to go before mining of seven miles of tunnels is done, cross passage and other tunneling work continue

 

 

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) mining the tunnel that will serve northbound light rail trains to Northgate beginning in 2021 holed through the wall of its retrieval shaft at the University of Washington light rail station today, completing one of two 3.5-mile tunnels for the Northgate Link Extension.

 

"Our tunnel projects are on track to connect more people to fast, reliable mass transit," said Sound Transit Chair and King County Executive Dow Constantine. "This latest breakthrough at Husky Stadium brings us another step closer to extending high-capacity light rail to Northgate by 2021."

 

The boring today completed the fifth of six tunnel segments being mined by JCM Northlink LLC, Sound Transit's tunneling contractor for the Northgate Link light rail extension. The tunnel boring machine today, TBM #1, launched from the Maple Leaf Portal at NE 94th Street south of Northgate Mall July 2014. Another tunnel boring machine, TBM #2, launched from the Maple Leaf Portal in November 2014 and reached the U District Station site last week.

 

Both machines will undergo a thorough inspection at their respective hole-through sites. Once inspections are complete, the contractor will determine which machine will be used to mine the final tunnel segment. Crews will then spend two to three months refurbishing the selected TBM to prepare for its launch on the last segment to the University of Washington.

 

Tunneling with the tunnel boring machines is expected to be complete by the end of this year. Tunnel finishes and cross-passages, which connect the train tunnels and provide emergency exits, are scheduled to be complete by the first quarter of 2018. When light rail service on the Northgate Link extension begins in 2021, trains will enter and exit the tunnels in the Maple Leaf Portal.

[EvergreenRailfan]

Dropping the names of the Tunnel Boring Machines was a shame, because for the most part, Sound Transit has done a better job digging tunnels than WSDOT. These two recent breakthroughs show that.

[Lightning]

Twin bore tunnels are almost completed.  Of course side connecting tunnels must be dug and all systems installed--not to mention stations built!  Thus we need patience.  Details from the Seattle Times.

[KevinKorell]

 

 

Project update: Northgate Link Extension

Removing temporary casing from final drilled shaft at the Northgate Station site.

Shaft drilling for Northgate station complete

This month Sound Transit's contractor finished drilling the last of the 42 shafts for the columns that will support the future Northgate station and elevated guideway. There is still plenty of work to do; crews will demobilize drilling equipment from the site and continue to form the columns through the summer.

Northgate ped/bike bridge open house on August 3

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will host an open house from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Hampton Inn to share information on projects to improve walking and biking in Northgate, including the new ped/bike bridge that will connect the Northgate Link station to the west side of I-5. Attend the open house—or participate online Aug. 3 to 24—to learn about the revised bridge design, the most promising route for the Northgate Neighborhood Greenway, and other transportation projects and programs in Northgate. Visit SDOT's webpage for more information.

Sound Transit will also staff a Northgate Link project information table at the open house.

Roosevelt Station concrete pours continue

In case you missed it, check out time-lapse footage of thousands of yards of concrete being placed at the Roosevelt Station site. With the 8-foot thick station floor complete, crews will focus on wall pours over the next few months.

U District tower cranes going up

U District neighbors will notice two new tower cranes above the gold wall at the U District Station site. The first of the two cranes was installed the weekend of July 22nd and the second went up the weekend of July 29th. These new cranes will help Hoffman Construction Company place thousands of yards of concrete and thousands of pounds of rebar to build the station.

For more information

• soundtransit.org/northgatelink

[CNJRoss]

Sound Transit:

 

Construction alert: Northgate Link Extension

 

February 21, 2018

 

Rail Delivery at Maple Leaf Portal

 

 

As early as the night of Wednesday, February 28 Sound Transit’s contractor will begin rail deliveries for the Northgate Link tunnels at the Maple Leaf Portal (MLP). All delivery trucks will stage in the closed southbound lane (see map). This work is scheduled to occur during the following timeframes:

• Wednesday, February 28 – Friday, March 23
• Work Hours: 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Monday – Friday. Contractor has obtained a Temporary Noise Variance from the City of Seattle to do this work.

What to Expect:

Traffic Impacts:

• Southbound lane closure: The southbound lane of 1st Ave NE will be closed during the night time work hours. Flaggers will control alternating one-way traffic along 1st Ave NE.
• No parking signs: Will be placed along 1st Ave NE.
• Sidewalk Closures: All sidewalks will remain open.
• Work Activities: 80’ long sections of rail will be picked off delivery trucks and staged at the MLP site.

For more information, please contact Sound Transit Community Outreach Specialist, Rhonda Dixon at 206-398-5300 or northlink@soundtransit.org.

 

What is Sound Transit building? 

The Northgate Link Extension will connect the Northgate, Roosevelt and U District neighborhoods to downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport. Fast, reliable service will provide relief to one of the region's most congested traffic areas. The 4.3-mile extension is expected to be open for service in 2021. 

• For construction issues that need immediate attention, call the Construction Hotline at 1-888-298-2395. 

 

For more information

• soundtransit.org/northlink

 

Related:  ST Awards East Link Ext; Northgate Link Ext construction contracts