A 2,000-linear-foot tunnel that will host light-rail service in Bellevue, Wash., as part of Sound Transit's East Link, is now under construction.
The tunnel will be approximately one-third of a mile long when completed and run between the future East Main and Downtown Bellevue stations under 100th Ave. Sound Transit says it is utilizing the Sequential Excavation Method (SEM) to excavate the tunnel rather than using the cut and cover method or a tunnel boring machine due to the tunnel's short length and to mitigate community impact. Sound Transit says SEM's advantages include minimized traffic disruption, reduced noise and dust impacts and the elimination of utility service disruptions.
Copyright
© © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Inc.