Date:  Sunday, March 22, 2009

Contact: Kristy Van Ness, Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program, 206-382-6361
KaDeena Lenz, Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program, 206-267-3836

SEATTLE – WSDOT maintenance crews re-opened the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Battery Street Tunnel a few minutes before 5 p.m. The Battery Street Tunnel was scheduled to be closed until 5 a.m. tomorrow, but crews made good progress with necessary maintenance and inspections. The viaduct was closed for its semiannual inspections on March 21 and 22.

In addition to structural inspections, WSDOT and the City of Seattle coordinated maintenance and preservation work during this closure. This weekend crews:

• Searched for and removed loose concrete on the viaduct
• Repaired expansion joints and damaged bridge rails
• Applied a protective covering to exposed rebar
• Serviced drainage systems and traffic cameras
• Washed the walls of the Battery Street Tunnel, and inspected the lighting and ventilation systems
• Tested the fire suppression systems in the Battery Street Tunnel

WSDOT will release preliminary inspection results on March 27, 2009.

For more information, please go to http://www.alaskanwayviaduct.org/.

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