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| Sound Transit hosted an open house to provided an update on the progress of the demolition and to discuss the upcoming closure of the Olive Way off-ramp, Cherry St. On ramp and the Pike/Pine revisable lane from I-5 on May 7th. Click here to see the slide show from the meeting>>> | |
Capitol Hill Station construction
Sound Transit is now finishing work on the new 16-mile Link light rail line, a critical piece of this region's transportation future. Beginning in Summer 2009, trains will carry riders quickly and reliably from downtown Seattle to Tukwila, stopping at 13 stations along the way. Service to SeaTac airport will begin in December, 2009.
University Link is a 3.15 mile tunnel extension of this light rail line, which will carry an additional 70,000 daily riders, bringing the total daily ridership of the system to 114,000 in 2030. University Link will be operational in 2016, connecting Capitol Hill and the University of Washington to downtown Seattle and the rest of the Link light rail line.
Final design of the Capitol Hill light rail station is now complete and demolition work is beginning at the future station site.
Demolition and Remediation
Sound Transit’s contractor starts work in February 2009 at the site of the future Capitol Hill Station with the demolition and environmental clean-up of the site. This part of the project includes:
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Removing hazardous material (asbestos, underground storage tanks, etc.) from buildings.
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Clearing trees. The contractor is working with a private tree salvage firm to determine if any trees can be moved for replanting.
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Demolishing and removing existing buildings.
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Removing and disposing of contaminated soil.
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Reinforcing the excavation by installing “soil nails” beneath the Bonnie Watson parking lot.
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Installing construction trailers on the work site located on the west side of Broadway.
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Paving and fencing all three sites.
While the demolition work is underway, here is what you can expect:
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The work will occur only during daytime hours.
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City streets will remain open to traffic for the majority of this work.
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Chain link fence will surround all three sites.
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For most of the work, sidewalks will remain open. Brief sidewalk closures will occur when adjacent buildings are brought down.
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Construction workers and construction vehicles will NOT use on-street parking. There is space inside the construction sites for all construction vehicles.
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Trucks will haul dirt and debris away from the site.
Please be cautious around construction sites. When walking, biking or driving around a construction site always remember to be aware of your surroundings. Stay on the sidewalks or designated paths. Slow down when driving near construction activities and watch for flaggers or detours. Be alert, and be safe.
Salvage and Recycling
Salvage and recycling have been a very important part of Sound Transit’s work at the Capitol Hill Station site. As part of Sound Transit’s sustainability goals and to reduce the amount of waste during demolition activities, Sound Transit and its contractors have taken many steps to salvage and recycle as many existing building materials as possible prior to and during demolition. As of April 15, 2009, the contractor has recycled 1,450 tons bricks, wood, metal and other building materials.
Click here for a summary of the salvage and recycling activities at the site to date >>>
Next Steps
The demolition and environmental clean-up work is only the first step in building the light rail station at Broadway. Construction work on Capitol Hill is expected to last approximately six years, wrapping up in 2015. Download the project schedule in .pdf format >>>
Learn More
Project Contact
Jeff Munnoch
Community Outreach Specialist
Sound Transit
401 S. Jackson St.
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone:(206) 398-5131
24 Hour Hotline:(888) 298-2395
jeff.munnoch@soundtransit.org
Throughout the project, Sound Transit will send regular e-mail updates on the construction activities. If you would like to receive these updates please sign up here >>>