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Sinkhole Prompts Inslee To Halt Bertha Tunneling Project

NWNews | By Austin Jenkins,
Austin Jenkins
Published January 14, 2016 at 3:07 PM PST
File photo of Seattle's waterfront and State Route 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct. A tunneling project aims to replace the aging double-deck highway.
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File photo of Seattle's waterfront and State Route 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct. A tunneling project aims to replace the aging double-deck highway.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee has issued an emergency order to stop the tunneling project along Seattle’s downtown waterfront. The tunnel will replace the aging Highway 99 viaduct.

The “stop order” announced Thursday morning follows the opening up of a sinkhole behind the tunneling machine known as Bertha.

“We need to be assured that this is not going to happen underneath the viaduct with obvious ramifications that could be very, very concerning or under the city of Seattle,” the governor said.

Inslee announced the stop order at a news conference in Olympia. He said the tunnel contractor has not adequately sampled the soil in the area to ensure voids in the ground don’t develop.

The Bertha tunneling machine just resumed digging last month after a lengthy delay due to mechanical issues.

Copyright 2016 Northwest News Network
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Austin Jenkins
Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy as well as the Washington State legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia." Prior to joining the Northwest News Network, Austin worked as a television reporter in Seattle, Portland and Boise. Austin is a graduate of Garfield High School in Seattle and Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut. Austin’s reporting has been recognized with awards from the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors, Public Radio News Directors Incorporated and the Society of Professional Journalists.
See stories by Austin Jenkins
Austin Jenkins
Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy, as well as the Washington State Legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia."
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