The Battery Street Tunnel connects the north end of the Alaskan Way Viaduct to Aurora Avenue N. It was constructed in the 1950s and has not been upgraded since.
Until the viaduct is taken down, WSDOT and the City of Seattle are conducting regular maintenance on the tunnel and repairing its fire and life safety systems, as needed. This will ensure it remains safe for drivers.
In our second Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the viaduct central waterfront replacement, we are examining an alternative that would move SR 99 into a bored tunnel beneath downtown. If this alternative moves forward, SR 99 would no longer run through the Battery Street Tunnel. Therefore, we are studying the possibility of decommissioning the Battery Street Tunnel in the second SDEIS. The SDEIS will be published for public review in early 2010.
Updated September 2009