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Headlines About Seattle’s Big Bertha

Big Bertha Seattle Is A Failure

I feel the need to write a follow up on my previous story about Big Bertha. If you feel like singing and are happy with the progress you can hum this to the melody of Proud Mary

 

 

Not so Proud Bertha
Got me a job in the city,
Digging out a tunnel, ev’ry night and day
Never lost a minute sleepin’
Worryin’ about how things should have been.

My big wheel wont keep turnin’
Bertha’s gears, are burnin’
Its like rollin’, rollin” in a river.

Now for a few Headlines from the Times.
DRILL’S DEEP TROUBLES STARTED IN JAPAN. Before we ever got the machine it experienced the same leaky seals in Japan. Should have sent up red flags then and our experts should have been more concerned about whether the machine was worth the price rather than be concerned about getting it here to dig a tunnel that the taxpayers did not want.

DRILLING DOWN ON BIG BERTHA, MEGAPROJECTS-AND MUCH MORE. Once the problems started the blame game started. Big Bertha was in trouble from the start. So the communication between Lynn Peterson, Transportation Chief and Cris Dixon, Tunnel Project manager sort of broke down.

VIADUCT CRACKS SIGNAL STATE RACE AGAINST TIME. Of course they say it has absolutely nothing to do with the digging of the tunnel. Yeah right

SAGGING SECTION OF VIADUCT POSES NO DANGER, STATE SAYS. Why would this be put in a paper as headline news? If cracks and sagging poses no danger. What in the h—– are we tearing it down for and spending billions on a tunnel?

BERTHA WOES FRUSTRATE STATE. That’s no surprise when the machine stopped digging completely it could get a little frustrating.

MUCH POKING BUT NO CLUES ON WHAT’S BLOCKING BERTHA. Trying to see why Big Bertha quit digging, they discovered she was flooded. Geez Why didn’t they think of that? 110 feet below sea level. Who would have thunk.

BERTHA’S NEMESIS: 119 FEET OF STEEL WELL PIPE. State had put that well pipe in and forgot about it. Well we all lose our keys and things so maybe that’s how it happened.

BAILING BERTHA: WATER RUSHED IN. More wells needed to drain front of digger face. 90,000 gallons could be behind it. Will they have to drain the whole sound? Something is going to have to fill the space where the water is taken from.

KEEPING GROUND WATER AT BAY CRUCIAL IN REPAIR PLAN FOR BERTHA. Sudden loss of water could destabilize viaduct or Pioneer Square Buildings.

SEPT 1 GOAL FOR RESTART OF TUNNELING. Bertha stoppage to last 9 months. But no workers are being laid off and everyone gets a good paycheck.

FORECAST SEES NO LIGHT AT END OF TUNNEL TIL 2016. Report calls for healing rift between state and contractor. They need to admit it ain’t gonna work, no way, no how.

All of the above in caps are a few of the headlines from the Seattle times. Now my own comments. The only expertise I have on the tunnel is just using COMMON SENSE THINKING. You do not need a degree in civil engineering of road building to know that digging a tunnel (I call it a giant culvert, to carry water, not cars) right along the Puget Sound with a sea wall that is about to cave is about as stupid as anything anyone could come up with. What were they trying to accomplish by building the tunnel that could not be done far faster, safer and less expensive? They could rebuild another viaduct. It is a tourist attraction. Best view in Seattle. Cars can park under it, people can walk under it, it does NOT keep people from going to the water. Another alternative would be to tear it down, make a wide street and forget about it. No flooding, no caving, no one getting buried alive. OR if you are hell bent on a tunnel and clear view of the sound, just do a cut and cover. It could be covered over level and no one would even know it was there and cars would never get trapped 110 feet down in a flooded tunnel.
We should change songs from Proud Bertha to Lets call the whole thing Off…or you Got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em, know when to walk away, know when to run. Now is the time to cut the losses. This thing has only gone a little over a thousand feet, of the 1.7 miles needed. This happened where they can dig a football field sized hole to get to it and maybe bring the blade out, but IF they get it fixed from then on it’s under buildings, they can’t level Pioneer square to dig to it again. Please stop before it’s to late. Way too much dirt and water being taken out for it not to have an impact on the historic buildings. Can you imagine the loss of life if they get a lot of guys repairing the machine and the whole hill shifts. Stupid and expensive to keep up this digging. Taxpayers are getting taken for a ride for sure. When it’s taxpayers money they just don’t need to worry about expenses. Just up the sales tax, up bus fares, up anything with a surcharge and we can’t do a thing. Keep your letters and phone calls to the state officials. It is in an earthquake zone and I would rather get smashed on a viaduct than buried alive in a water filled tunnel.
/LLL

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Big Bertha and the Highway 99 Tunnel Project

Big Bertha Drill Seattle

The transportation department is crying for more funds. There is not enough funds in the World to keep them going. They have great plans (dreams) but never any that actually works or gets a job done on time or on budget. It looks like a bunch of key stone cops running around where Big Berta should be digging. First of all to even think of digging a tunnel right along Elliot Bay, thru soil that is very unstable because it was filled in was stupid. I hate to say I TOLD YOU SO, but it’s sure true. I wrote an article when they were deciding whether to shore up the viaduct, tear it down and let traffic find its way, or make a shallow cut and cover, then of course those would not make World headlines or create publicity, and lots and lots of jobs so without the people agreeing that they wanted a tunnel, the powers to be decided to build a tunnel. McGinn ran his campaign on the promise that he would STOP the tunnel. Yeah right!!!! They started the dig July 30. This is Jan 23. 200 days later they can’t agree on how far they have even gone but give them the benefit of 1000 feet. The public has been spun a tail of mistruths from day one if we are to believe what Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson said last week. She said that the state had serious doubts about the drills “operations and critical systems” since the first day it started back in July. Wouldn’t that have been the time to speak up? One excuse after another has been given on the progress until lately the headlines in the Times and on the news have started sending up red flags. let me List a few headlines.

Dec 21, 2013  Bailing Bertha: Water rushes in. More wells needed to drain the digger face. More wells needed. 90,000 gallons could be behind it. etc etc. Well I got news for you that any idiot (or idiots) who thought they could dig a hole 110 feet deep right beside Elliot Bay at sea level of below and not run into water problems should definitely be on disability for mental problems not running this project. Then Dec 31,2013, headline was, Much poking but no clues on what’s blocking Bertha. Workers are burrowing holes to find what obstruction Bertha has ran into. They mentioned exotic things maybe from huge glaciers, maybe a locomotive or ship was buried there when it was filled in centuries ago, but the poking found nothing. Turns out that the mystery blockage was 119 ft of steel well pipe put there in 2000 by the Highway 99 projects own research crew. Then comes the blame game. I do not believe the tunnel project’s Director was told about the 8 inch thick pipe. Big Bertha uprooted 55 feet of the pipe on Dec 3, 2013. Right now the headlines have all changed. The headline of the Times Jan 17, 2014 was: “99 tunnel project’s director irked at state casting blame”. the article says that Seattle Partners project director Chris Dickson was surprised that the state blames them for the difficulties on the highway 99 tunnel project. Well who exactly would you blame if it is not the project director of the outfit hired to dig the tunnel?

There is a big opportunity for a lot of lawyers to make a bundle here. The whole mess can get stalled as it winds through the courts. The workers will all be paid to stand around or “do other small jobs” like they say they have been doing since the digging has stopped. Now it appears to be coming to a real expensive blockage of who told who what and when or why. One thing for sure the taxpayers are going to really get the shaft on this one. It was doomed from day one. All through the stoppage and non digging we have been told Bertha is working fine. Problems are always encountered on projects like these. That all studies have been done to guarantee this project will work just fine. The have discovered that the viaduct has settled 1/2 inch since the digging. How many 1/2 inches can the dirt settle around this project as it digs (if it ever does) under the historic buildings. The way this key stone cops project is going the hole they have dug may be filled in with the beautiful buildings they are going to dig under. I suggest it’s time to state the truth. Just tell us “this ain’t gonna work, no way, no how” and start a flat surface road or a shallow cut and cover. We can all stand to get screwed over, but we are all sick of being lied to. Such as another little headline. Disturbing Seawall news. There could be a 30 million overrun on this project. City transportation staff say there may be more troubles ahead due to the projects complexity.  What is even worse than that news is the fact those facts were known before the primary in the mayoral race but kept from the public or the Seattle City Council. Former Mayor Mike McGinn says the news was not buried. lol  Taxpayers can stand bad news, they can’t stand being flat out lied to. I hope when asked for a gas tax hike or anything else the legislature demands the STP and WSDT to lay out ALL THE FACTS, all the expenses. You cannot get our trust back very easy now. Our Washington is almost as bad as the other Washington. Please don’t say, “what difference does it make”. We know the difference between a liar and a spin doctor. You can’t send Susan Rice out to lie for you, so who will you send?

Lilly Marek

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McGinn On Supreme Court Ruling (2/3 Voting)

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn

Mayor McGinn’s statement on state Supreme Court ruling
Yesterday, the state Supreme Court issued a ruling stating that a state law requiring a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to increase revenue is unconstitutional.

“I applaud the state Supreme Court’s decision. This opens the door to common sense returning to Olympia’s process to fully fund education and invest in our transportation system,” said Mayor McGinn.

THE ABOVE STATEMENT IS CUT AND PASTED FROM A WEEKLY E MAIL I GET FROM MAYOR McGINN.

This really surprised me (and not much the politicians do surprise me anymore). I can’t believe he would actually put in writing that the will of the voters mean absolutely nothing to him. We all know that includes almost every elected official but to admit it in writing and be proud of it. His e mail called the reader is sent to us voters who have signed up for it. lol  I hope when he runs for re-election this gets really circulated and can be filed under, “Put a fork in it, his goose is cooked”. But then if you look at what happened in November he could get voted in again. He won last time by running on the fact that he was Keep Reading

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Seattle Will Spend $290 Million+ On Seawall Repair

With overwhelming support of 77%, Seattle will spend an estimated $290 million dollars to repair the Elliott Bay seawall.  It was perfect timing considering the scarcity spoken by the council and Sandy hitting the east coast.  Being fresh in voters minds it was an easy pass.  Of course many don’t understand the consequences of approving it.  Such as their property taxes being raised $68 per year, however, many vote without even understanding most of the details.

The voters also approved a $119 million dollar levy to automate finger print processing at crime scenes.  Seems pretty expensive to me considering they already have a system in place and all they really needed was a larger Internet WIFI range to access and process that info.  That really is a cheap expense if done properly, however, I have said it many times the Seattle City Council does believe Keep Reading

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Seattle Proposition 1 – Seattle’s Seawall Measure

Construction Work Photo

While reading the Times this morning trying to decide what are the lies and what might be the truth, I ran across an article that caught my eye. Remember Andy and Little Opie and the piers they would sit on and look into the sunset? Gave a person a warm fuzzy feeling. The article this morning does NOT give me that feeling. It is a shame that politicians would stoop so low. 5 councilmen and King County Deputy Executive, Fred Jarrett stood on the waterfront to warn us that a Sandy could happen here. Can you see them standing looking into the sunset like little Opie. Opie was fishing for a sucker from in the water on his little fish hook but these 6 were fishing for suckers a.k.a.  voters for all they could. I don’t even know what Fred Jarrett does but there must have been something they could be doing rather than going to the seashore during work hours. They should have invited Obama. He would have got in his little Air Force One and toodled right out here and they could have had a photo shoot for him for sure.

Now for the seawall measure. The council members are not earthquake or hurricane specialists. No one knows/when or if anything of that will happen. They should have taken care of the seawall as it deteriorated. The people who own the property should have to pay for it not the whole city. Proposition 1 is asking for $290 million. Most of what they have written about it is lies. They are saying if it failed, it would severely disrupt daily traffic. Approx 12,300 vehicles use it. 3% of Seattle’s traffic. They should have been worrying about the seawall before they shoved the expensive tunnel mess through it. They have no plan. They talk about two piers, but they are unclear how long the seawall will be. When it might start to be built when they might finish, or if it would be on a budget or just another bottomless pit to scoop taxpayer’s dollars into. They will pay planners, and consultants and have to line a few pockets along the way and the money could be all screwed away before a nail is hammered. Remember the monorail? They blew enough money planning to build the darn thing. I am not sure they even know at this point what they are trying to do, but to pose at the waterfront and try to put the fear of Sandy into the voters is low, low, low. There should be some concrete plans before we give them $290 million.

Update: This passed! On the night of the election, a substantial 77% of Seattle voters endorsed Proposition 1, a 30-year, $290 million bond measure. Consequently, funding for the initial phase of the Elliott Bay Seawall Project has been successfully secured.

In 2017, the City of Seattle finalized the construction of the new Elliott Bay Seawall, projected to endure for over 75 years and revitalize the previously deteriorated nearshore environment. Before the initiation of the Seawall Project, the existing seawall, despite having shielded Seattle for upwards of 70 years, saw its structure debilitated by time and the harsh marine conditions.

The freshly constructed seawall aligns with contemporary seismic standards, safeguarding public safety and serving as the bedrock for Seattle’s new waterfront. Moreover, the seawall encompasses habitat enhancements to rejuvenate the salmon migration corridor and boost ecosystem productivity. Every feature of the seawall was crafted to integrate seamlessly with other pivotal Waterfront Seattle enhancements, including the forthcoming park promenade and the reconstructed Pier 62 and Pier 58.

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Seattle’s Corson Avenue War Zone – PT. 2

This is a follow-up post we created when Georgetown’s Corson Ave was shut down for several months while they made it “more safe”.   The Georgetown Corson Ave post had some initial photos we took.  We have several more now available.  This has to be one of the worst road jobs I have ever seen.  They didn’t even pave the road!  Now it just has a bunch of patches all over the place. 

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Georgetown Corson Ave Construction Update

Seattle Construction Area Photo

The road construction project continues in Georgetown on Corson Ave.  A project that could have been pushed a few years is now more tax money wasted.  With all the public transit in trouble, you would think we could have transitioned some of this money (perhaps a million) to help people get to work and continue to ride the bus.   I guess paving a road is more important then keeping people working and getting them to work on time (without cutting more routes).  Not only are we wasting money for this paving project that could have been used better elsewhere we are also wasting additional police resources who will be sitting around (playing on the Internet in their cars) at the construction project to help watch flaggers direct vehicles around the area. 

The Georgetown Corson Ave construction project is about to start.
There goes Corson Ave, Seattle
They paved it but still dirty
It’s time for more cleanup and starting on the other side of the street.

To continue on this topic, Georgetown’s Corson Ave was shut down for several months while they made it “more safe”.   Above and below, you’ll see some of the construction photos. We have several more now available.  This has to be one of the worst road jobs I have ever seen.  They didn’t even pave the road!  Now it is has a bunch of patches all over the place. 

Here are the final photos of the Corson Ave Street construction project. 2011

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Anti-tunnel Initiative 101 blocked from fall ballot

I seems to me that if ordinary citizens oppose something and do all the hard work of collecting enough signatures to put 101 on a ballot for a vote, it should be on the ballot. City attorney Pete Homes said it was not legal because it seemed to take away the states ability to build a state highway. Judge Joan DuBuque agreed with him. In other words democracy can be wiped out by two people. City attorney Pete Homes wants the tunnel built and has locked horns with Mayor Mile McGinn over this. An attorney for DOT joined the suit and said the city cannot block a state project. We the people have said time and time again WE DO NOT WANT A TUNNEL. Supposedly the state is broke as well as the Federal Government so why are they cramming this expensive thing down out throats. Before it was settled about people challenging it they signed agreements in haste so they could say once they are signed they cant be stopped by an initiative. People tried to get an initiative to at least question the tunnel for an Agust vote,but again Pete Homes challenged it and got it watered down to where they are calling it the Seinfield initiative because it is about nothing and will do nothing. The August 16th Referendum asks voters to approve or reject how the City Council plans to give notice to the state to proceed with the tunnel. That’s like saying “yes we have no bananas”. What really concerns me is the mind set the Department of Transportation has. They do not want the taxpayers to have any say at all. DOT says it is their goal to follow the will of the Governor and Legislature, which approved funding for the tunnel. Well, to me that is really cockeyed thinking. The Governor and Legislature are working FOR the people. They should have no right to fund something that the taxpayers made clear they did not want. As for them approving funding makes it sound like they have magic funds. No the funding is money they have taken away from working people after they squandered a lot on overhead. One overhead expense should not be happening, and that is the $600,000 the “Top Dog” at DOT makes. If a city has no say over a state project then we should not have to pay for it at all. Elizabeth Campbell who sponsored 101 is appealing it to the State Supreme Court but the plans just go on and on instead of waiting until everything is settled before signing agreements and contracts. It still says that Seattle property owners who benefit has to pay overruns. Well Governor Chris Gregoire promised she would not let that happen. Well she wont be Governor when they build the tunnel .

City of Puyallup Road Construction

It’s amazing the amount of money we waste on road constuction.  Our system is setup so different cities get a certain amount for road construction.  Anything above and beyond the cost the city has the cover or sometimes they can get it from other federal programs etc.  From my research, most road construction isn’t really needed.  Cities use it because they have to.  It’s a use it or lose it system.  The City of Puyallup has several projects going on that are a complete waste of money and now we are starting to hear they can’t cover the extra costs.  Recently, they have been working on Highway 512.  I personally drive Highway 512 between Puyallup and Lakewood all the time and this is a good example of just blowing the money because they need to.  There is absolutly nothing wrong with the Highway.  The other City of Puyallup road construction project we are hearing about is on 39th avenue.  There is no dought this area is congested (it always has been and will continue to be) but this project wasn’t really necessary.  First this road construction project in Puyallup has been going on since 2002.  So far the project has cost the City of Puyallup 15+ million.  The City of Puyallup even had to use a shady practice called “eminent domain” to legally steal the property of many hard working families.  One of them sued the City and won (by jury) a 5.4 million dollar settlement.  His legal fees were over 1 million dollars.  

This is not just about Puyallup it’s about the country and the way our transportation taxes are being wasted.  Instead of just using it (because we’ll lose it) mentality there needs to be a way so this money can be pushed into the areas of the city that really need it.

The Mayor Agrees Tunnel Is Not The Best Solution

Mayor Mike McGinn

————————————————–
From: “Mike McGinn” < mike.mcginn@seattle.gov>
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2011 4:11 PM
To: lilly

Subject: Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement (00012049)

Dear Lilly,

Thanks for writing to me about the replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. I share your commitment to a replacement solution that serves the best interests of Seattle residents.

I agree with you that the deep-bore tunnel is not the best solution, for many reasons. It is the most expensive option, does not serve our future transportation needs and is fundamentally flawed from an environmental perspective. The City Council and the State, however, have chosen the tunnel as their preferred alternative. But there is a very simple question that remains unanswered- who will pay? If the project goes over budget, as studies show is likely, what happens then? The state legislature says Seattle taxpayers will pay and I simply cannot support that. I have urged the City Council to join me in that position.

It’s increasingly clear that there are serious cost issues with the tunnel project but neither the state nor the City Council is willing to examine alternatives. I encourage you to contact both your City Council and state representatives with your concerns.

Thanks again for writing me. Please continue to keep in touch about this or any other issue.

Sincerely,

Mike McGinn
Mayor of Seattle

Update: This email was provided to me from the Mayor of Seattle, Mike McGinn in 2011.

The Alaskan Way Viaduct, often succinctly referred to as “the viaduct,” stood as an elevated expressway in Seattle, Washington, USA, accommodating a portion of State Route 99 (SR 99). Spanning 2.2 miles (3.5 km) along the city’s waterfront, it stretched from the West Seattle Freeway in SoDo to the Battery Street Tunnel in Belltown, situated east of Alaskan Way and Elliott Bay.

Alaskan Way Viaduct – Before and After

Constructed in stages from 1949 to 1959, with its initial segment inaugurated on April 4, 1953, the viaduct functioned as one of the two principal north–south transport routes through Seattle, with the other being Interstate 5, facilitating transit for up to 91,000 vehicles daily in 2016. Along its route, it towered above Alaskan Way, a surface-level street, extending from S. Nevada Street in the south to the entrance of the Battery Street Tunnel in Belltown’s north, tracing pre-existing railway tracks.

Long perceived as an obstacle between the downtown area and the city’s waterfront, the viaduct faced replacement proposals dating back to the 1960s. Its seismic fragility came into the spotlight following damage to analogous freeways, some mirroring the viaduct’s design, in several earthquakes in various cities. While the 2001 Nisqually earthquake inflicted minor damage on the Alaskan Way Viaduct, subsequent evaluations revealed its susceptibility to a total collapse should another significant earthquake occur, thereby underscoring the imperative for its substitution.

A myriad of replacement options weighed by state and city administrations included a re-constructed elevated structure, a surface boulevard, and a cut-and-cover tunnel, yet a consensus on the ultimate decision remained elusive. A deep-bored tunnel emerged as the selected option in 2009. Subsequent to the demolition of the viaduct’s southern section in 2011, it was supplanted by a six-lane, single-deck freeway threading through the SoDo industrial zone. Excavation of the downtown bored tunnel by the tunnel boring machine, dubbed “Bertha,” commenced in 2013, concluding in 2017 following a two-year delay. The viaduct ceased operations permanently on January 11, 2019, making way for the new tunnel, which inaugurated three weeks later on February 4. The viaduct’s demolition ensued shortly thereafter, reaching completion by the close of 2019.

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