  Diversion structure excavation at the Queen Anne project site.
Most of our city’s wastewater system is underground, which means a lot of digging during a project like this. To build a system that will keep sewage mixed with stormwater from entering the Ship Canal during heavy rains, there are supporting structures we need to construct in addition to our large and awesome storage tunnel (thanks for all the work so far, MudHoney!). In 2022, we’ll be building these supporting structures at our East Ballard, Queen Anne, and Fremont sites. They include:
Vaults: Underground structures that provide access to the system and may house valves, gates, mechanical, and electrical equipment.
Drop shafts: Specially designed vertical structures that connect sewer flows to the deeper storage tunnel. Several are vortex drop shafts that house mechanical and electrical equipment.
Diversion structures: Underground structures that direct flow within the sewer system.
Check out our glossary for a deep dive into these structures and other more technical elements of our project!
In order to create room for these structures, we need to excavate holes that are up to 23-ft wide and 20-ft deep. The holes are supported using soldier piles (steel beams drilled into the ground) and lagging (timber boards between the steel beams) to keep the soil walls from collapsing while we form permanent concrete structures.
Take a look at our Flickr albums to stay updated on the most recent construction, including images of our new tunnels.
Ballard & MudHoney
MudHoney continues to be on a planned pause for trailing gear installation and will resume tunneling activities this week.
When tunneling starts again, you should anticipate:
- Truck deliveries of concrete segments and MudHoney equipment
- Tunneling activities
- Nighttime segment deliveries and tunnel spoils being hauled off
- Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site
Crews are working 24 hours a day, 6 days a week and will continue until MudHoney reaches Wallingford in late 2022. Sunday work may also occur.
Ground monitoring is ongoing along the tunnel alignment and is done from both inside MudHoney and on the surface.
East Ballard
Excavation work for underground mechanical and electrical vaults on NW 45th St is currently suspended due to the concrete strike. CDF (Controlled Density Fill), a weak concrete) is required during the installation of lagging which supports the ground. During this time, you can expect:
- NW 45th St closed to traffic; vehicles must detour onto NW 46th St
- Burke-Gilman Trail users remain detoured to the north side of NW 45th St through 2022. Please follow all detour guidance on site. For safety, bicyclists should either dismount or cross train tracks at a 90-degree angle. Please use extra caution in wet weather as ramps may be slippery.
Regular work hours would be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 5 pm. Night and weekend work may occur.
Fremont
Crews have resumed jet grouting. This work includes lane reductions on Leary Way NW, between 1st Ave NW and NW 39th St, with an optional detour through February. Crews will not be drilling piles to support water main work on Leary Way NW at this time due to the concrete strike.
During this time, you should anticipate:
- Lane reductions on Leary Way NW through approximately February 2022 (see map with optional detour). We will continue to look for opportunities to open up the lanes whenever possible.
- Excavators working on-site for utility installation work
- Truck traffic on Leary Way NW as trucks bring and remove materials to and from the site
- NW 36th St between Leary Way NW and 3rd Ave NW closed (through remainder of the project)
- Pedestrian detours on Leary Way NW, please follow all detour guidance on site
- Generators running during work hours to power equipment
- 2nd Ave NW, between Leary Way NW and NW Canal St, closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic for sewer and diversion structure work at least through the end of 2022
- NW Canal St is open to two-way traffic to allow access during this closure. Please do not park at the west end of NW Canal St to allow two-way traffic to turn around at the closure.
- Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site
Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 5 pm. Night and weekend work may occur.
Wallingford
Crews continue working on the shaft liner walls and preparing for MudHoney’s arrival later this year. For the next couple of weeks, steel reinforcement and timber formwork are being installed for the lower part of the shaft lining wall. Work may be suspended by mid-February if the concrete strike has not been resolved.
During this work, you should anticipate:
- Trucks coming in and out of the site to deliver reinforcing steel and formwork materials
- Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site
Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 5 pm.
Queen Anne
Crews continue to install temporary shoring for construction of the diversion structures. While excavation of the diversion structure is complete, it continues for the isolation structure. Once that is complete, work will be suspended until the concrete strike is resolved.
During this time, you should anticipate:
- Trucks coming in and out of the site
- Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site
- The West Ewing Mini Park parking lot to remain closed through mid-2023
- A localized Ship Canal Trail detour through summer 2022 (see map)
Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 5 pm. Night and weekend work may occur.
Contact us
Please email SPU_ShipCanalProject@seattle.gov with questions or comments or call our hotline at (206) 701-0233. You can also find information online at spushipcanal.participate.online/.To support the community during active tunneling, we have changed our hotline hours to 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday.
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