01-18-06
Contact: Paul Griffo
Telephone: (202) 366-4043
Construction of a new light rail tunnel under parts of Seattle began today, thanks in part to $244.15 million in New Starts transit funding provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA), U.S. Transportation Secretary Mineta announced today. The tunnel boring work is part of Sound Transit’s Central Link Light Rail $2.44 billion transit project.
“This is a great day for everyone stuck in Seattle traffic,” said Secretary Mineta, noting the project, when finished, will bring relief to transit riders and motorists alike.
The Beacon Hill station will be excavated to a depth of 180 ft. and the actual tunnels will be excavated using a state-of-the-art tunnel boring machine to bore twin tunnels about one-mile long. FTA Project Management Consultants and Sound Transit are closely following the contractor’s progress, safety plans and quality assurance procedures due to the sophisticated nature of the work.
Considered a vital cornerstone of Seattle’s transportation future, the project is part of a regional transportation program that includes light and commuter rail and express bus service for three counties. The 14-mile Central Link Light Rail system will serve 12 stations from downtown Seattle to South 154th Street in Tukwila and is on schedule for July 2009 start of revenue service.
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