 Ship Canal Project – 2023 Year in Review
 Construction workers celebrate as they wait for MudHoney (the tunnel boring machine) to reach Wallingford.
And that’s a wrap for 2023! What a year at the Ship Canal Water Quality Project. Amidst the hustle, our fantastic team not only tackled challenges but also nailed some major milestones, proving that hard work can be a blast. As we close the curtain on 2023, we want to take a moment to celebrate. In 2023, we:
- Completed 2 tunnels, our 2.7-mile storage tunnel running from Ballard to Wallingford built by MudHoney AND our shorter, smaller tunnel from Fremont to Queen Anne
- Unveiled approximately 10 stunning art installations across all the work sites
- Built 5 underground vaults to hold mechanical and electrical equipment for the tunnel (that’s a lot of concrete poured!)
- Provided local jobs totaling 911,814 hours worked on the tunnel construction and 14,974 hours worked on the Wallingford conveyance pipes
- Delivered 24 project-wide emails to 2400 community members (that’s 2400 subscribers each time!)
We are honored to have you on this journey with us as we continue to make progress in 2024. More fun and exciting adventures await on Ship Canal!
Visit our project website to learn more about the project and check out our Flickr albums for recent construction photos.
Ballard
Crews continue to dismantle, clean, and remove the equipment that was needed to build the tunnel.
You should anticipate:
- Nighttime truck movements may be necessary to remove large equipment over the next few months
- Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site
Crews continue working two shifts, 20 hours a day, five days a week. Some work may occur on Saturdays.
East Ballard
Crews are now replacing a segment of water main in NW 45th St between 11th Ave NW and 9th Ave NW. 11th Ave NW will remain open to all lane traffic with occasional flagging from traffic control as needed.
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 building the permanent structure inside the shaft and installing conveyance pipes that connect to the storage tunnel. They also continue building the large underground mechanical and electrical vault, and the adit which connects the shaft to the tunnel.
Crews have completed replacement of a water main segment in Leary Way NW.
Local closures and detours:
- Both eastbound lanes of Leary Way NW are open while westbound is restricted to one lane through January
- On 2nd Ave NW, between Leary Way NW and NW Canal St, the street remains closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic through mid-2024
- NW Canal St is open to two-way traffic during this closure
- NW 36th St, between Leary Way NW and 3rd Ave NW, remains closed through mid-2024
- 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
- Concrete trucks entering and leaving 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
Our contractor continues excavating, installing, and backfilling the conveyance pipe in N 35th St, between Interlake Ave N and Stone Way N. They are getting close to the intersection with Stone Way N and expect to be there soon. The other crew is continuing work on the conveyance pipe between Interlake Ave N and the Wallingford shaft site. Soon the crosswalk on the south side of N 35th St crossing Stone Way N will need to be closed. At that time, pedestrians will need to use the formal approved detour route that includes the crosswalk at N 34th St. Crews also continue to build the permanent walls inside the shaft and the above-ground electrical building.
We understand that traffic is a challenge in this area. We continue to keep an eye on neighborhood impacts and add new signage for detours and safe access to businesses. Businesses are open and ready to serve the community. Please support local businesses and follow all detour signage and safety directions when traveling through the work area.
See our detour maps for cyclists and pedestrians.
N 35th St closure vehicle detour:
- Check out the vehicle detour map
- Traffic is detoured via N 40th St and Wallingford Ave N, and via Woodland Park Ave N and N 34th St
- The all-way stops remain in place at Woodland Park Ave N at both N 35th St and N 34th St, and at Wallingford Ave N and N 35th St
- Stone Way N between N 34th St and N 35th St remains closed to vehicles and bicycles
- Please adhere to Road Closed, Local Access Only, and Traffic Revision Ahead signage and follow marked detour routes
N 35th St closure bicycle detour
- Check out the bicycle and pedestrian detour map
- Bicyclists are detoured to the west on N 35th St and to the south on Woodland Park Ave N
- Access to the Burke Gilman Trail is on N 34th St at Stone Way N and at Troll Ave N
- Please dismount and walk if you use the sidewalk
You should anticipate:
- N 35th St between Stone Way N and Interlake Ave N and the intersection of N 35th St and Stone Way N are closed
- Trucks coming in and out of the site
- Heavy equipment in the area
- Vibrations typical of a construction site
- Truck traffic from the North Transfer Station hauling waste away from the station between 5:30 pm and 7:30 am, 7 days a week. Flaggers will assist operations between 5 am to 9 am and as needed between 5 pm and 7 pm to help control traffic and direct trucks.
- Road and periodic sidewalk closures
- Temporary bus stops on Woodland Park Ave N are relocated; Metro bus routes 31, 32, and northbound 62 detoured. Southbound bus route 62 is unchanged. Please view service advisories on King County Metro’s website.
Regular work hours at the Wallingford shaft site will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 6 pm. Crews also work a second shift in the tunnel and there will be occasional surface work at the shaft site.
Regular work hours on N 35th St and Stone Way N will be Monday through Friday, 7 am to 6 pm. Night and weekend work may occur periodically.
Queen Anne
Crews are removing temporary shoring and continue to install utilities at the site.
Local closures and detours:
- Localized Ship Canal Trail detour at least through mid-2024 (see map). Please continue to remain alert when moving through this area.
- West Ewing Mini Park parking closure through mid-2024
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.
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