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Seattle's Behemoth Boring Machine, Idle Since 2013, Makes Some Progress

Posted by timothy on from the bertha's-muscles dept.

After being blocked by an obstruction ("the object") which left it idle just over two years ago, repair work has continued on Bertha, Seattle's enormous tunnel-boring machine. Now, reports KOMO News and The Seattle Times, Bertha is once again ready to work. From The Times' coverage: Tuesday morning's push of one and a half feet provided Seattle Tunnel Partners (STP) enough space behind Bertha’s drive motors to fasten the next concrete ring at the 1,085-foot mark of the planned 9,270-foot tube. Chris Dixon, STP project manager, is calling this a testing phase. The team is measuring how Bertha responds while rotating through heavy loads of compacted sand. Last week, a fixed steel arm in the front end broke and needed a one-day repair. ... This week’s two-day push would leave the nose of the drill just short of the north edge of the concrete vault, dug in 2014 so STP could reach and lift the 4million-pound front end for repairs. The winning bid from STP called for the tunnel to be completed this month.

4 of 111 comments (clear)

  1. Yawn.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Boring.

  2. Behemoth boring machine... by Ecuador · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, I guess if it hasn't done anything since 2013 it is certainly a machine capable of boring even a behemoth!

    --
    Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
    1. Re:Behemoth boring machine... by sdinfoserv · · Score: 5, Insightful

      In a country who's infrastructure is crumbling; roads, bridges, fresh/waste water systems, electrical grid - failure to fix public works projects IS a threat to our security

  3. Re:Yep by plover · · Score: 5, Funny

    Another boring story on slashdot.

    You know the drill..

    This does not augur well for the New Year.

    --
    John