SEATTLE — The city of Seattle is hiring its own consultant to determine if the Alaskan Way Viaduct has been undermined by the effort to replace it with a tunnel to carry Highway 99 traffic.
KIRO reports the city will pay CH2M-Hill about $155,000 to evaluate the structure and tunnel-related impacts.
City officials are concerned about settling, apparently caused by a pit that’s being dug to reach and repair the stalled tunnel boring machine called Bertha.
Officials with the state Transportation Department say the viaduct is safe. Digging is continuing in the pit and officials hope repairs will allow the $2 billion tunnel to be completed in 2017.
