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Retired civil engineer proposes undersea tunnel for Mukilteo/Clinton route Siemny Kim A retired civil engineer from Seattle is proposing a new way for people to travel from Mukilteo to Clinton that doesn’t involve the ferry. “You need a different mindset,” Bob Ortblad said. Ortblad is a retired civil engineer and teaches a University of Washington class on the history of infrastructure. He is proposing an underwater tunnel system as an alternative to the state’s ferries. “It’s an idea that’s radical here. But not radical in other parts of the world at all,” Ortblad said. It was almost 30 years ago, Ortblad visited Japan with his family and took his first undersea tunnel. But the idea really sparked in 2017 during a trip to Iceland when he drove through one. ....
A look back at the West Seattle Bridge process; Is a tunnel still a better long term solution? A look back at the West Seattle Bridge process; Is a tunnel still a better long term solution? Mon, 01/18/2021 When the long delayed decision to repair the West Seattle Bridge was made on Nov. 18 it was the culmination of a process that involved dozens of online meetings, and thousands of work hours by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). It was primarily an engineering driven decision but the practical need to restore the corridor to service was a major consideration. In the end Mayor Durkan took the repair path to help business and the public as soon as possible with safety as the overarching requirement. ....
LETTER: The City of Seattle STILL needs a plan to replace the bridge Thu, 12/24/2020 Editor West Seattle Bridge repairs may or may not work. The Port of Seattle, City of Seattle, and Sound Transit need to plan for a replacement. Gothenburg, Sweden is the largest port in Scandinavia. Last week the city opened its second immersed tube tunnel, the Marieholm Tunnel. Gothenburg’s first immersed tube tunnel, the Tingstad Tunnel, was built in 1968. Together these tunnels can carry a total of 180,000 vehicles/day with little impact on the river and its riverbanks. The Marieholm Tunnel is six lanes, crosses a 1,000-foot wide river, and cost €170 million ($225 million). ....