 MudHoney is Past the Aurora Bridge!
The Aurora Bridge over the Lake Union Ship Canal.
The title says it all! MudHoney has hit a significant milestone: passing under the Aurora Bridge foundations. This is a significant milestone in more ways than one because the Aurora Bridge is the last enhanced mining zone on MudHoney’s route.
Cool... but what’s an enhanced mining zone? Enhanced mining zones are areas with heightened sensitivity where tunnel boring machines must mine in one continuous push. No breaks, no interventions. MudHoney and crew members worked around-the-clock through this latest zone in five days, just in time for the weekend.
MudHoney is currently underneath N 35th St, the same street it will complete its tunneling journey on! MudHoney is expected to emerge from the Wallingford shaft at N 35th St and Interlake Ave N this summer. When the tunnel boring machine gets pulled out, it’ll probably look a little scraped up and worn down from its long, epic journey.
To learn more about the project, visit our project website. We also continue to update our Flickr albums with construction photos.
MudHoney
Our 18-ft diameter tunnel boring machine has tunneled over 13,200 feet! Follow along with our tunneling tracker on our project website.
Ground monitoring is ongoing along the tunnel alignment and is done from both inside MudHoney and on the surface.
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Ballard
Our Ballard shaft site near Shilshole Ave NW will continue to be busy with tunneling activities until MudHoney reaches Wallingford this year.
During regular tunneling activities, you should anticipate:
- Truck deliveries of concrete tunnel segments and MudHoney equipment
- Nighttime segment deliveries and both nighttime/daytime tunnel spoils being hauled away
- Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site
Crews are working 24 hours a day, six days a week. Some work may occur on Sundays.
East Ballard
Crews continue building the mechanical and electrical vault on NW 45th St and the diversion structure on 11th Ave NW. In the coming weeks, crews will begin installing shoring systems to install a conveyance pipe that will extend from the diversion structure to the storage tunnel, as well as a new maintenance hole immediately south of the diversion structure.
Local closures and detours:
- There continues to be a one-lane traffic configuration on 11th Ave NW at NW 45th St. Traffic signals and flaggers will direct traffic at the intersection during single lane closures.
- NW 45th St remains closed to traffic between 11th Ave NW and 9th Ave NW; vehicles must detour onto NW 46th St
- Burke-Gilman Trail (BGT) remains detoured to the north side of NW 45th St through the project area. For safety, bicyclists should either dismount or cross train tracks at a 90-degree angle. Please take extra caution in wet weather as ramps may be slippery.
You should anticipate:
- Heavy equipment in the area
- Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site
Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 6 pm. Night and weekend work may occur.
Fremont
Crews continue excavating for a large mechanical and electrical vault. Next month, crews will begin installing the conveyance pipes between the diversion structure on 2nd Ave NW and the Fremont shaft.
Local closures and detours:
- Our contractor will be working intermittently in the southernmost eastbound lane of Leary Way NW during working hours for the next several weeks
- On 2nd Ave NW, between Leary Way NW and NW Canal St, the street remains closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic through late summer 2023
- NW Canal St is open to two-way traffic to allow access during this closure
- NW 36th St, between Leary Way NW and 3rd Ave NW, remains closed through 2023
- Pedestrian detours are in place on Leary Way NW; please follow all detour guidance
You should anticipate:
- Truck traffic on Leary Way NW as trucks bring materials and equipment to and from the site
- Fans running during work hours to provide fresh air to crews working in the shaft
- Heavy equipment in the area
- Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site
Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 6 pm; and some Saturdays from 9 am to 6 pm.
Wallingford
Crews are working on a concrete structure at the Wallingford site just northeast of the intersection of Interlake Ave N and N 35th St.
Wallingford Conveyance project crews continue working on a diversion structure near the intersection of Stone Way N and N 34th St.
Vehicle detour:
- Stone Way N between N 34th St and N 35th St remains closed to vehicles and bicycles
- Traffic is being detoured via N 40th St and Wallingford Ave N, and via N 35th St and Woodland Park Ave N
- Improvements have been made at the all-way stop traffic revision at the intersection of N 35th St and Woodland Park Ave N
- The new all-way stop remains in place at N 35th St and Wallingford Ave N
- Please adhere to the Road Closed and Traffic Revision Ahead signage and follow the detour routes
Bicycle detour:
- Please use the bike detour route to bypass Stone Way N between N 35th St and N 34th St:
- Southbound: bicyclists are detoured west onto N 35th St and south onto Woodland Park Ave N, then west onto the Protected Bike Lane on N 34th St. Access to the BGT is at Troll Ave N
- Northbound: bicyclists will be detoured east along N 34th St (or the BGT) then north onto Wallingford Ave N
- Please dismount and walk if you use the sidewalk.
You should anticipate:
- Trucks coming in and out of the site
- Heavy equipment in the area
- Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site
Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 6 pm.
Queen Anne
Crews continue to install piping and an air duct inside the 8-ft diameter conveyance tunnel casing.
Local closures and detours:
- Localized Ship Canal Trail detour at least through summer 2023 (see map). Please continue to remain alert when moving through this area.
- West Ewing Mini Park parking closure through mid-2023
You should anticipate:
- Trucks coming in and out of the site
- Heavy equipment in the area
- Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site
Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 6 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.
Construction Safety is Everyone’s Job
Check out some top safety tips at www.seattle.gov/utilities/constructionsafety
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