In late April, the Lake Union Ship Canal Water Quality Project crews began excavation at the work site in East Fremont/Wallingford, at Interlake Ave N. This is where the tunnel boring machine (named MudHoney) will arrive, in 2022, after digging a 38ft shaft from Ballard, under Fremont.
Right now, MudHoney is being assembled in Ballard. It is in launch position and tunneling operations are scheduled to begin in mid-June. Crews are continuing ground improvement work on NW 45th St in East Ballard, with a detour on the Burke-Gilman Trail (and other traffic impacts anticipated can be seen on the Ship Canal Water Quality project website.)
At the Fremont worksite, at NW 36th St & 3rd Ave NW, utility work is being done as they prepare for another tunnel boring machine – an 8ft conveyance machine. This work will continue to require dump trucks and excavators, as well as continued closure of roadways around the site and detours for pedestrians. Another detour, of 2nd Ave NW between Leary Way NW and NW Canal St, will begin in mid-May, for vehicle and pedestrian traffic – and is anticipated to last through the end of the year. Work on the water main will also put crews laboring in Leary Way NW near this site, which may require some lane closures.
For those at N 35th St and Interlake Ave N, in East Fremont/Wallingford, where the excavation work is being done for the completion of the elongated storage tunnel from Ballard, expect noise from this intermittent work, including jackhammering.
Learn more about this grand scale construction project that will, when completed, prevent storm water and sewage from entering our public waterways during heavy rains and similar severe weather events, by visiting the Ship Canal Water Quality project website (click here.) For specific questions and answers, please e-mail SPU_ShipCanalProject@seattle.gov or 206/701-0233