Northgate Link Construction Update
The Northgate extension is humming along, and construction is on
schedule at about 68% completion. Most of the major underground structural work
on the stations is complete, and the trackway is nearly ready for electrical
and communication systems installation.
University District
Big changes are happening to the University District station! As you
may have noticed, crews have removed the temporary street at NE 43rd
this summer. Designed by LMN Architects, Sound Transit’s contractor, Hoffman
Construction Company removed the temporary street to prepare for the placement
of the roof over the south end of the underground station. The contractor also
started building out the escalators, elevators, electrical and mechanical
systems in the stations interior. Soon, work will begin on the north and south
head houses, which encase the mechanics of the escalators and elevators, as
well as provide ventilation.
Sound Transit is also sponsoring “Up Your Ave” on Friday, September 28
from 3 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. The University of Washington and U District Partnership
is hosting this event to welcome incoming and returning UW students to the
neighborhood by encouraging them to explore the various businesses on “The
Ave.” Sound Transit will have a booth to provide information and answer
questions about the Northgate Link Extension.
 Platform level of the U District Station, prior to roof installation.
Roosevelt
More good news! The underground Roosevelt Station, designed by Hewitt
Architects, has made its way above ground. With 4,661 cubic yards of concrete placed,
the roof covering the station is complete. The Hoffman Construction crew are
now working on constructing the stations north and south head houses. Neighbors
and passersby can see the steel structure peeking over the green sound walls.
The Roosevelt station recently marked another milestone – all construction
activities at Roosevelt station authorized by the Major Public Project
Construction Noise Variance permit (MPPCNV) is finished. This permit was in
place to complete the 24-hour a day tunneling work, safely and on schedule. Any
remaining station work that must be done outside of normal construction hours
requires a temporary noise variance permit. Sound Transit will notify neighbors
of any work occurring outside normal construction hours.
The MPPCNV will continue to support ongoing night work at
the University District station related to the construction of floating slab
in the vicinity of the University of Washington campus.
What’s next? The tower crane will be dismantled this fall, and
some of the green sound walls will be removed in stages and replaced with temporary
fencing. Stay tuned for details.
 Roosevelt Station’s north head house which will house the escalators and elevators and provide ventilation.
Northgate Station guideway
If you’ve been around the Northgate area, you probably noticed the construction
of the Northgate Link Light Rail Station is progressing quickly. Whether
driving through Northgate on I-5, taking a trip to Northgate Mall or heading to
your home or workplace in the neighborhood, it’s hard to miss the continuous
guideway leading to the future Northgate Station. It is, after all,
approximately 2,500 feet long. That’s nearly half a mile!
The guideway was constructed in phases, connecting 57 precast concrete
girders, which are beams placed on columns that support the guideway structure.
It weighs in at a whopping 11.5 million lbs. Sound Transit’s contractor, Absher
Construction Company, erected the first precast girder in June 2017, and in May
2018 erected the final girder to create a continuous elevated guideway from the
Maple Leaf Portal to the future elevated Northgate Station. Rail installation
will begin in 2019.
See the transformation with the two drone videos highlighting the
Northgate station: the first in the early phases of construction in January
2017 and the second in August 2018 showing substantial completion of the
elevated guideway.
Click
here to see early guideway construction – January 2017
Click
here to see substantial guideway completion – August 2018
 Aerial view of the Northgate Station elevated guideway looking southwest.
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