By: Jamala Henderson
KUOW-FM
January 5, 2009
Shortly after 8 a.m. today, KUOW-FM broadcast this news segment on the proposed deep bored tunnel to replace the earthquake-prone Alaskan Way Viaduct on State Route 99, along Seattle's downtown waterfront. Sources in the segment included Bruce Agnew, Director of Cascadia Center; and deep bored tunnel expert, construction manager Vladimir Khazak of the global firm HNTB.
Link to audio (mp3)
Link to KUOW transcript page for segment
* * *
TRANSCRIPT (provided by KUOW-FM and copy-edited from audio by Cascadia Center).
ANCHOR: "Governor Chris Gregoire has postponed her recommendation of replacing Seattle's aging Alaskan Way viaduct. Transportation officials recommended a surface option or a replacement viaduct. But now state officials are reportedly reconsidering a bored tunnel as a solution. So what makes the bored tunnel a viable choice? KUOW's Jamala Henderson explains."
JAMALA HENDERSON, KUOW: "NEWER TUNNELING MACHINES THAT PROVIDE BETTER GROUND SUPPORT IS ONE REASON. VLADIMIR KHAZAK IS A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER WHO WORKED WITH METRO TO CONSTRUCT THE DOWNTOWN SEATTLE TRANSIT TUNNEL. HE'S ALSO WORKED ON MANY OTHER TUNNELING PROJECTS AROUND THE REGION.
"HE SAYS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES THEN, WAS OPEN FACED TUNNELING EQUIPMENT THAT EXCAVATED TOO MUCH SOIL. BUT KHAZAK SAYS THAT'S CHANGED."
VLADIMIR KHAZAK, HNTB: "Right now state of the art tunneling machines have closed face. And its pressurized to the same degree as necessary to support ground in tunneling machine. It means that you do not lose more ground than you need to excavate. And therefore you prevent settlement on the surface."
JAMALA HENDERSON: "KHAZAK SAYS EVEN THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE SEEN CHANGES TO TUNNELING TECHNOLOGY. AND HE SAYS NEWER MACHINES CAN CREATE LARGER TUNNEL DIAMETERS, AND THEY'RE FASTER WITH A MUCH LOWER SAFETY RISK.
"MOMENTUM FOR RE-EXPLORING A BORED TUNNEL HAS BEEN BUILDING SINCE A LARGE PORTION OF THE ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE DECIDED IT WAS AN OPTION THAT NEEDED FURTHER STUDY. THAT'S ACCORDING TO BRUCE AGNEW. HE'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE CASCADIA CENTER, A TRANSPORTATION THINK TANK AT THE DISCOVERY INSTITUTE.
"AGNEW SAYS A BORED TUNNEL IS GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY BECAUSE ITS CONSTRUCTION WOULDN'T DISRUPT WATERFRONT ACTIVITIES. AND IT WOULD PROVIDE MORE THROUGH CAPACITY THROUGH THE CORRIDOR."
BRUCE AGNEW, CASCADIA CENTER: "And the bored tunnel is good for the environment because it allows for the surface runoff from cars and trucks to be treated, before it goes into the Sound. A tunnel can capture and treat the air particulates. A lane in the tunnel can be solely dedicated for transit. And by tolling the tunnel you reduce discretionary trips that people take. So when you add it all up, it's just the best option."
JAMALA HENDERSON: "BUT IT'S UP TO THE GOVERNOR, KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND MAYOR OF SEATTLE TO RECOMMEND THE VIADUCT SOLUTION TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE. WHEN I ASKED VLADIMIR KHAZAK WHAT HE'D LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN WITH THE VIADUCT, HE SAID IT'S TIME FOR OFFICIALS TO THINK BEYOND WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE."
KHAZAK: "In the year of change of a lot of thinking, just to take the old viaduct down to build a new one, doesn't sound to me like a lot of change and creative thinking."
JAMALA HENDERSON: "IT'S UNCLEAR WHEN TO EXPECT A FINAL DECISION ON THE VIADUCT. STATEMENTS RELEASED BY THE THREE LEADERS IN DECEMBER SIMPLY STATED A RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE MADE THIS MONTH.
"JAMALA HENDERSON, KUOW NEWS."
