While the saga of the tunnel-boring machine dubbed “Bertha” has dominated headlines (see p. 9), another controversial but crucial project is progressing right next to the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement work. In the first phase of the Elliott Bay Seawall Project, crews are building jet-grout columns and precast structural elements along the Seattle waterfront to replace 20,000 old timber piles eaten by gribbles.
“The seawall holds up a section of our waterfront,” says Lorelei Williams, capital projects manager for the city of Seattle. “We started construction at the end of 2013, with utility relocations and moving the roadway. In early 2014, we started on the physical wall.”