University Link tunnel

Construction of light rail was originally proposed in the 1996 Sound Move measure, with plans to open a line from Seattle–Tacoma International Airport to the University District in 2006.{{cite news | url=http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=2358535&date=19961106&query=light+rail | title=Voters Back Transit Plan On Fourth Try |newspaper=The Seattle Times | first=David |last=Schaefer | date=November 8, 1996 | access-date=February 26, 2007}} However, Sound Transit in the 1990s was plagued with continually escalating costs, include an agreement with the University of Washington to install dampeners on the rails that run under the science buildings, air cushions to tables in the science buildings, and to mitigate environmental impacts due to construction and traffic impacts from having the station on university grounds.{{cite news | url=http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=4014028&date=20000406&query=%22light+rail%22 | title=UW rail tunnel gets boost |newspaper=The Seattle Times | first=Andrew |last=Garber | date=April 6, 2000 | access-date=February 27, 2007}} In 1999, Sound Transit chose their preferred route for the light rail system, including a {{convert|4.5|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} tunnel between downtown, First Hill, Capitol Hill and the University District with a crossing under Portage Bay;{{cite press release |date=November 18, 1999 |title=Sound Transit Board achieves historic milestone by selecting route for central Link light rail |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/News-release-archive/Sound-Transit-Board-achieves-historic-milestone-by-selecting-route-for-central-Link-light-rail |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 4, 2016}} the tunnel under Portage Bay was later deemed too costly and risky in 2000, and later dropped in favor of alternative options crossing the Montlake Cut.{{cite news |last=Pryne |first=Eric |date=January 11, 2002 |title=Montlake Cut tunnel new light-rail option |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20020111/rail11m/montlake-cut-tunnel-new-light-rail-option |newspaper=The Seattle Times |access-date=May 5, 2016}} Due to many missteps, Sound Transit shortened the line in 2001 from the original {{convert|21|mi|km}} to {{convert|14|mi|km}}, truncating the line to Downtown Seattle.{{cite news |last=Brunner |first=Jim |date=June 29, 2001 |title=Sound Transit looks south for its first line |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20010629/sound29m0/sound-transit-looks-south-for-its-first-line |newspaper=The Seattle Times |access-date=May 5, 2016}} In 2004, Sound Transit selected a route for tunneled light rail extensions through Capitol Hill and the University District and towards Northgate, using the Montlake Cut and a new station at Husky Stadium.{{cite press release |date=April 22, 2004 |title=Sound Transit Board selects route for extending light rail north |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/News-release-archive/Sound-Transit-Board-selects-route-for-extending-light-rail-north |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 5, 2016}}

Sound Transit began the federal grant process in August 2005 for a US$750 million grant that would allow Sound Transit to build the $1.9 billion project to connect the University of Washington and Capitol Hill to Downtown Seattle without increasing local taxes.{{cite news | url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/293820_transit27ww.html | title=Light rail to UW one step closer |newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | first=Gregory |last=Roberts | date=November 27, 2006 | access-date=February 26, 2007}} In November 2005, the line received the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) best rating of "High".{{cite press release |date=November 4, 2005 |title=UW light rail extension gets highest-possible federal funding rating |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/News-release-archive/UW-light-rail-extension-gets-highest-possible-federal-funding-rating |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 4, 2016}} During a visit in November 2006 by Transportation Secretary Mary Peters and Senator Patty Murray, it was announced that the line had passed its third of four milestones to get the grant when it received federal approval to complete its final design.{{cite news | url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003450789_soundtransit28m.html | title=Light-rail tunnel gets key support |newspaper=The Seattle Times |first=Mike |last=Lindblom | date=November 28, 2006 | access-date=February 26, 2007}} In January 2008, the FTA announced that they would finance $830 million of the cost for the construction of the line after Sound Transit agreed to add $127 million in contingency amounts to cover unseen costs of the tunneling.{{cite press release |date=January 15, 2009 |title=FTA awards Sound Transit $813M grant to begin University Link light rail extension |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/News-release-archive/FFGA |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 3, 2016}}

After years of negotiations, Sound Transit reached an agreement on disruption and construction with the University of Washington in 2007.{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=June 6, 2007 |title=Husky Stadium light-rail construction may start next year |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/husky-stadium-light-rail-construction-may-start-next-year/ |newspaper=The Seattle Times |access-date=May 4, 2016}} As part of the agreement, Sound Transit moved the preferred site of the first University station near Husky Stadium and the University of Washington Medical Center, instead of at 15th Avenue NE and NE Pacific Street as selected in 1999. An additional station serving the university was opened in 2021 at NE 45th Street and Brooklyn Avenue NE as part of the Northgate Link Extension, approved by voters in November 2008 as part of the Sound Transit 2 (ST2) package.{{cite web |title=U District Station |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/Projects-and-Plans/Northgate-Link-Extension/Stations/U-District-Station |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 4, 2016}}

A groundbreaking ceremony for the project was held on March 6, 2009, at the future site of University of Washington station, marking the beginning of University Link construction.{{cite press release |date=March 6, 2009 |title=Launch of University Link light rail construction will bring economic stimulus, fast transit connections; Sen. Murray honored at UW groundbreaking ceremony |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/News-release-archive/U-Link-Groundbreaking |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 3, 2016}} The project used three tunnel-boring machines, all sporting a {{convert|21|ft|m|adj=mid|-diameter}} cutterhead, during construction from May 2011 to May 2012.{{cite press release |date=May 16, 2011 |title=University Link light rail tunneling set to begin |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/News-release-archive/University-Link-TBM-launch |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 3, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Gutierrez |first=Scott |date=May 15, 2012 |title=Light rail tunnels now link downtown to Capitol Hill, UW |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Light-rail-tunnels-now-connect-downtown-to-3561014.php |newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=May 4, 2016}}

Two of the tunnel-boring machines, named "Balto" and "Togo", were manufactured by Herrenknecht in Germany and were launched from the University of Washington station south toward Capitol Hill; each machine weighed {{convert|1,109,900|lb|kg}} and were named after two famous Alaskan husky sled dogs from the 1925 serum run to Nome as a reference to the Washington Huskies athletic program. Another machine, named Brenda, was manufactured by Hitachi Zosen in Japan and was launched twice to complete the tunnels from Capitol Hill station to the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel; the {{convert|679,500|lb|kg|adj=mid}} machine was later refurbished and used again on the Northgate Link Tunnel from 2014 to 2016.{{cite web |title=Tunneling for University Link |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/Projects-and-Plans/University-Link-Extension/Tunneling-for-University-Link |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 4, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Stiles |first=Marc |date=April 28, 2014 |title=Bertha's stalled, but Brenda's ready to roll once again |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2014/04/tunnel-boring-machine-brenda-ready-for-sound.html |newspaper=Puget Sound Business Journal |access-date=May 3, 2016}}{{cite web |date=February 2011 |title=University Link Tunnel Boring Machines Fact Sheet |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/projects/link/north/ULink/Fact_TBM_2011.pdf |format=PDF |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 3, 2016}}

Light rail service on the University Link Extension began on March 19, 2016. The extension opened six months earlier than scheduled, by using unused float time,{{cite web |date=September 2013 |title=Potential early University Link opening |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/projects/link/north/ULink/201309_EarlyOpeningFactsheet.pdf |format=PDF |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 4, 2016}} and came in $200 million under the $1.9 billion budget.{{cite press release |date=March 18, 2016 |title=Light rail reaches Seattle's Capitol Hill, University of Washington |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/light-rail-reaches-seattle-s-capitol-hill |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 4, 2016}}{{cite news |first1=Chris |last1=Daniels |first2=Josh |last2=Green |first3=Ricky |last3=Courtney |url=http://www.king5.com/story/news/traffic/2016/03/19/university-link-light-rail-opening-6-months-early-200-million-under-budget/82000408/ |title=University Link light rail opens |work=KING-TV |date=March 19, 2016 |access-date=March 20, 2016}}

Cellular service in the tunnel began in August 2016 for T-Mobile customers, provided by an agreement with Mobilitie to install a distributed antenna system during the tunnel's construction.{{cite press release |date=August 23, 2016 |title=Phased rollout getting underway for transit tunnel cell phone service |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/phased-rollout-getting-underway-transit-tunnel |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=August 23, 2016}}

{{University Link}}

The University Link tunnel begins in Downtown Seattle at the north end of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel under Pine Street at 9th Avenue near Convention Place bus station; the nearest train stop is at Westlake station, five blocks to the west. The tunnel heads northeast along Pine Street in a cut-and-cover tunnel for two blocks until the tunnel-bored segment begins at Boren Avenue underneath Interstate 5. It turns east, dipping south as far as Union Street, before completing a turn northward along Nagle Place into Capitol Hill station, located near Cal Anderson Park and Seattle Central College on Capitol Hill. Leaving the station, University Link Tunnel then turns northeast and descends at a 4.1% grade, reaching its greatest depth under Volunteer Park at {{convert|300|ft|m}} below ground level, before turning northward in the Montlake neighborhood. The tunnel passes {{convert|15|ft|m}} under the Montlake Cut while climbing a 4.5% grade to end at University of Washington station near Husky Stadium.{{cite conference |last1=Adams |first1=Daniel N. |last2=Lamb |first2=Isabelle |last3=Morgan |first3=Amanda |last4=Sleavin |first4=John |date=June 2008 |title=Design of the University Link Tunnels and Stations |url=http://www.jacobssf.com/images/uploads/2008_Adams-Lamb-Morgan_University_Link_Tunnels_and_Stations.pdf |pages=271–278 |conference=9th North American Tunneling Conference |editor-last=Roach |editor-first=Michael |publisher=Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration |isbn=978-0873352635 |access-date=May 5, 2016}}{{cite map |year=2007 |title=University Link Light Rail |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/projects/link/north/ULink/ULinkStreetmap1_07.pdf |format=PDF |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 4, 2016}}{{cite web |title=9 quick facts about how U Link was built |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/Rider-Community/Rider-news/9-quick-facts-about-how-u-link-was-built |year=2016 |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 4, 2016}}

Sound Transit originally estimated that the trip between Westlake and the University of Washington would take 8 minutes,{{cite news |last=Stiles |first=Marc |date=January 26, 2016 |title=Starting March 19, trips from downtown Seattle to UW will take just 8 minutes |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2016/01/starting-march-19-trips-from-downtown-seattle-to.html |newspaper=Puget Sound Business Journal |access-date=May 4, 2016}} but later refined it to a scheduled 6 minutes.{{cite web |date=March 19, 2016 |title=Link light rail schedule |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/Schedules/Link-light-rail |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=May 4, 2016}} Trains run 20 hours a day on weekdays in the tunnel, arriving every 6 to 10 minutes during rush hour and midday, and every 15 to 20 minutes at other times.

The line originally included a station on First Hill, but due to soil conditions that might increase costs and construction risks, as well as cost-effectiveness requirements, the station was dropped from the route.{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002408576_soundtransit29m.html |title=Board cuts First Hill rail station |newspaper=The Seattle Times |first=Eric |last=Pryne |date=July 29, 2005 |access-date=February 26, 2007}} To mitigate the impact of the cancelled First Hill station, the First Hill Streetcar was built to connect First Hill to the Pioneer Square and International District neighborhoods via Broadway and South Jackson Street; the streetcar began operation in January 2016, months later than anticipated because of delivery issues with the vehicle manufacturer.{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=January 22, 2016 |title=Seattle's First Hill Streetcar to open Saturday with free rides |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/seattles-first-hill-streetcar-to-open-saturday-with-free-rides/ |newspaper=The Seattle Times |access-date=May 4, 2016}}

The tunnel has a total of 16 cross passages excavated in 2012 and 2013 using the Sequential Excavation Method to connect the two bores at regular intervals for use as emergency exits and maintenance access points.{{cite news |date=March 5, 2013 |title=Cross passage excavation completed on U-Link |url=http://www.tunnelsonline.info/news/cross-passage-excavation-completed-on-u-link |work=Tunnels & Tunnelling International |access-date=May 5, 2016}} There is one vent for the tunnel, located at a lot adjacent to the Paramount Theatre in Downtown Seattle; a proposed vent in the Montlake neighborhood was removed in 2007 after opposition from nearby residents and a determination that the two stations could handle emergency ventilation on their own.{{cite news |last=Hadley |first=Jane |date=March 18, 2004 |title=Montlake irked by Sound Transit stance on siting vent shaft |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Montlake-irked-by-Sound-Transit-stance-on-siting-1139972.php |newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=May 5, 2016}}{{cite web |title=Link Light Rail Montlake Vent Facility |publisher=Sound Transit |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/x1757.xml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516213820/http://www.soundtransit.org/x1757.xml |archive-date=May 16, 2008 |access-date=September 11, 2016}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{Commons category-inline|University Link Tunnel}}

{{Bridges of Seattle}}

{{Lake Washington Ship Canal}}

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Category:Link light rail

Category:Railroad tunnels in Seattle

Category:Underground rapid transit in the United States

Category:Tunnels completed in 2012

Category:2012 establishments in Washington (state)

Category:1500 V DC railway electrification