Date:
Monday, October 15, 2007
Contact:
Emily Fishkin, Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program, 206-267-6821, 206-437-5061 (cell)
Kristy Laing, Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program, 206-382-6361, 206-300-4312 (cell)
SEATTLE – Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance crews re-opened all lanes on the Alaskan Way Viaduct at 2:45 p.m., ahead of schedule. With a 5:15 p.m. Seahawks game, crews worked late on Saturday so they could re-open the lanes earlier on Sunday. The viaduct was closed for its semiannual inspections on October 13 and 14.
In addition to structural inspections, WSDOT and the City of Seattle coordinated preservation work during this closure. Work this weekend included:
- Searching for and removing loose concrete on the viaduct
- Repairing potholes, expansion joints and bridge rails
- Applying a protective covering to exposed rebar
- Servicing drainage systems and traffic cameras
- Washing the walls of the Battery Street Tunnel, and inspecting the lighting, fire suppression and ventilation systems
- Testing levels of corrosion in the Battery Street Tunnel
WSDOT will release preliminary inspection results on October 19, 2007.
This week, WSDOT will begin work to strengthen the columns between Columbia Street and Yesler Way, where the viaduct has settled approximately five inches since the Nisqually earthquake. WSDOT determined that the threshold for emergency repairs was six inches, but chose to make the repairs sooner because of a trend of continued settlement. The repairs will take about six months to complete, and will limit settlement and further damage. This is the first of the six safety and mobility projects designed to repair or replace more than half of the deteriorating viaduct.
For more information, please visit the Web site.
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