It was too good to be true a couple weeks back when Bertha started moving again. Two feet later she was stopped and she hasn't moved since. When contractors recently discovered a leak, it opened the possibility that Bertha was going to be stuck for a while to come. And now it's sounding like that's exactly what we're in for.
Lee Newgent, executive secretary of the Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council, said Monday workers have been told to expect a long operation. "What we're talking about is, they're going to excavate the shaft, drive 60 or 70 piles, then lift up the cutterhead," Newgent said.
"They're looking at least six to seven months."
STP are currently weighing their options on how to fix Bertha and the result will mean a delay anywhere from a couple months to a whole lot more months than that. The project is already four months behind schedule.
For their part, WSDOT claims STP "have not shown any evidence that suggests the state or taxpayers will be responsible for cost overruns associated with these repairs." Uh-huh…
· Bertha may be on hold until summer for complicated repairs [Seattle Times]
· This Week In Seattle Tunnel Project Mishaps: Bertha At A Standstill. Again. [Curbed Seattle]
· All Bertha coverage [Curbed Seattle]
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