SEATTLE (AP) — The tunnel planned as a replacement for the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle will go under or near 158 downtown buildings.
The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce reports the contractor, Seattle Tunnel Partners, plans work on seven buildings to prevent settling and will be monitoring the 151 others. One inch of settlement is acceptable for most of the buildings.
All 158 buildings will have equipment installed to measure cracks, monitor vibrations and gauge ground loss.
Work on the $1.4 billion contract is expected to start in October, although actual tunneling won’t begin until mid-2013.
