Baby steps are an improvement for the tunnel-boring machine known as Bertha. The drill moved a total of 1.5 feet this week, but the symbolic distance probably felt like a mile.
"Workers at the Seattle waterfront switched on the power to the world’s largest boring machine and revved it forward early Tuesday," reports Mike Lindblom, "bringing hope to the Highway 99 tunnel project after a two-year delay."
Bertha had a breakthrough moment back in February when it moved far enough to remove a section of the drill for repairs.
The most recent development in the saga, moving the drill forward 1.5 feet, is considered a test. But this test has a particularly critical air to it according to Linblom: "Government agencies lack a Plan B, so failure is not an option.
Buried at the bottom of the article are some of the details of fallout fro the two-year delay, including the cost of the repairs:
"The main partners, Dragados USA of Spain and Tutor-Perini of California, have said in court documents that overall costs for repair, including excavation of the giant repair-access vault, are expected to exceed $143 million. It could take years for STP, Hitachi Zosen, their insurers, and Washington state to sue or negotiate who pays for repairs and delays, beyond the basic $1.35 billion STP contract."
FULL STORY: Bertha back on the move after 2 years of delays
Bertha Stuck Again: Sinkhole Prompts Suspension of Highway 99 Tunnel Project
The adventure of Bertha the tunnel-boring machine, already two years behind schedule, has a new twist.
Seattle's Most Dramatic Traffic Reduction Will Occur Next Month
There will be no road closures, no traffic bans, no loss of parking, and no new transit lines opening. Call it the "tolling effect" on Nov. 9 when motorists have to pay to drive through the two-mile State Route 99 tunnel that opened last February.
Bertha Finally Breaks On Through (To the Other Side)
The Bertha tunnel boring machine was once stuck under the city of Seattle for more than a year. Now it has reached its goal, four years after it began its journey.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Downtown Los Angeles on the Rise: A Promising 2025
Fueled by new developments, cultural investments, and a growing dining scene, downtown Los Angeles is poised for significant growth in 2025, despite challenges from recent wildfires and economic uncertainties.
How Single-Family Conversions Benefit Both Homeowners and Cities
Converting single-family homes to triplexes can ease the housing crisis and offer affordable, flexible options for more households. Why is it largely illegal?
Report: Transportation Equity Requires More Than Electrification
Lower-income households often lack the resources to buy electric cars, signaling a need for a more holistic approach to improving mobility and lowering transportation costs.
Supporting Indigenous Land Reclamation Through Design
Harvard students collaborated with the Sac and Fox Nation to develop strategies for reclaiming and co-managing ancestral lands in Illinois, supporting Indigenous sovereignty through design, cultural storytelling, and economic planning.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research