Sinkhole worries loom large as Bertha prepares for dive under viaduct, downtown View Larger Image The Seattle Times » In January 2016, a geotechnical expert for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) warned officials of possible over excavation and ground loss one day before a sinkhole appeared 110 feet behind the tunnel boring machine’s cutting face. WSDOT and their consulting engineers are concerned about the contractor’s ability to maintain soil consistency, and the potential for additional sinkholes while the tunnel boring machine, known as Bertha, digs under downtown Seattle and the existing Alaskan Way Viaduct. Michelle2018-02-05T14:38:15-08:00April 6th, 2016|Alaskan Way Viaduct, Design-Build, Roads, Washington| Share This Story, Choose Your Platform! FacebookTwitterEmail Related Posts With 100 People Per Day Dying in Crashes, Lawmakers Weigh Road Safety Options April 9th, 2019 Getting There: Congestion pricing isn’t coming to Spokane, but these roads aren’t free and never were April 8th, 2019 The Boring Company: What 8 Cities Really Think of Elon Musk’s Tunnel Vision March 26th, 2019 Trump Fiscal 2020 Budget Request Prioritizes Infrastructure Grants March 11th, 2019 ‘Fix the Damn Roads’: States Step In After Trump’s Plans Stall March 11th, 2019 Andrew Cuomo announces $128 million for state highways March 11th, 2019 Carbon fee returns in Olympia as lawmakers consider $15 billion transportation package March 6th, 2019 Can America Still Build Big? A California Rail Project Raises Doubts February 25th, 2019 It’s time to fund infrastructure in Connecticut February 1st, 2019