On the 04.04.2017  the TBM Bertha completed its tunnelling and on the 23.08.2017,crews lifted the final pieces of the 8,000-ton  out of the SR 99 tunnel’s disassembly pit near Seattle Center. The TBM has now been fully dismantled and removed from the tunnel. Hitachi Zosen, the machine’s manufacturer, donated pieces of the cutterhead to the Port of Seattle and donated cutting tools and the control panel to Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry.

Tunneling is complete, but much work remains before the SR 99 9,270-foot tunnel Bertha dug is ready for traffic. Crews will have to build the roadway inside the tunnel and to work on electrical and other systems. Click here for the dismantling video and us/69 for the tunnelbuilder archive. Visit http://www.wsdot.wa.gov. 37/17.