This Sunday, February 17, crews will continue investigative fieldwork for Phase 2 of the Central Waterfront Transmission Line Relocation Project. This includes potholing and geoprobe activities inside of the Seattle Tunnel Partners fenced-off work zone.
There are two locations just outside the fenced off area that crews will need to access this Sunday:
- The first location is near the intersection of Yesler and Alaskan Way. Crews will temporarily and intermittently impact traffic and pedestrians on Sunday. Crews will park a vactor truck in this location to pothole and identify existing utilities. Flaggers will be on-site to direct traffic and pedestrians/bicycles through the area. This activity could take up to six hours based on weather and progress of work.
- Crews also anticipate working outside of the fence at King Street to complete potholing activities. There are no planned impacts to traffic or pedestrians at this location, but the work will be outside the fence and visible.
Work area
Anticipated fieldwork activities over the next several weekends:
- Fieldwork activities will include potholing and geoprobes. See below for an explanation about potholing.
- Crews will be working from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, February 17.
- Fieldwork will only happen on weekends. No weekday fieldwork is anticipated.
- This activity is planned to be complete in the next two to three weekends, weather dependent.
What is potholing?
Fieldwork will include locating and verifying existing underground utilities, also called “potholing.” Potholing requires the use of a truck-mounted machine called a vactor truck. Vactor trucks are similar to large vacuums, excavating concrete and dirt to help identify underground utilities. Other field work activities could include soil boring to monitor groundwater levels, also known as a geoprobe.
What is the Central Waterfront Transmission Line Relocation Project?
Transmission lines that power Seattle have historically been attached to the vulnerable Alaskan Way Viaduct. Seattle City Light has been working to complete full relocation of these transmission lines along Seattle’s waterfront in advance of viaduct demolition. City Light is ready to complete the design for permanent relocation of the final section of central waterfront transmission lines. This section of 115 kilovolt transmission lines runs from King Street to Yesler Way (see map). Seattle City Light is working to identify a route for the transmission lines in an underground duct bank in a path just west of the existing viaduct.
For more information:
Phone: 206-499-8040
Email: CWFTransmission@seattle.gov
Web: www.seattle.gov/light/aboutus/construction/cwftransmission