What to expect in December 2014
The locations for the work listed below are shown on the project map.
1. Continue digging for the underground light rail station
Approximately 40 percent (or 50,000 cubic yards) of soil has been excavated as of November 2014. The soil is delivered to locations across King and Snohomish counties and is often used to backfill gravel pits that are no longer used.
Activities this month include:
- Removing dirt and materials using bulldozers
- Installing wood planks or "lagging" between the vertical metal piles
- Installing struts across the top of the box on the southern end of the site
- Drilling cable tie-backs and installing soil nails to hold the walls during excavation activities
- Hauling dirt and materials offsite using Brooklyn Avenue Northeast (approximately 10 trucks daily)
Crews will dig until they reach about 95 feet below ground. Excavation will be ongoing through spring 2015.
2. Continue building the temporary bridge along Northeast 43rd Street
Activities this month include:
- Pouring concrete and stripping the wooden forms for the traffic barrier
- Installing the gold construction wall on the bridge
Northeast 43rd Street is expected to re-open to one-way traffic in early spring 2015. The roadway is currently open to local traffic between the alley and the "Ave."
Crews install the gold construction wall along Brooklyn Avenue Northeast next to University Manor Apartments
3. Begin restoring the sidewalks along Brooklyn Avenue Northeast and Northeast 43rd Street
Activities this month include:
- Removing the temporary asphalt on the sidewalks along the eastern side of Brooklyn Avenue Northeast and the southern side of Northeast 43rd Street (refer to map for locations)
- Installing curb and gutters
- Pouring concrete for the permanent sidewalks
- Installing a pedestrian handrail near the intersection of Brooklyn Avenue Northeast and Northeast 43rd Street
A temporary pedestrian detour will be used during this work. Flaggers will help pedestrians get around construction. Ugly Mug Café and Brooklyn Avenue Dental are open for business.
4. Continue installing electrical utilities to power construction activities
Activities this month include:
- Installing electrical and mechanical systems
Construction impacts:
- Closure of Northeast 43rd Street between Brooklyn Avenue Northeast and the alley to motorists until early 2015.
- Pedestrian detour near the intersection of Northeast 43rd Street and Brooklyn Avenue Northeast during sidewalk work.
- Noise from breaking up and removing existing asphalt and materials along Northeast 43rd Street and Brooklyn Avenue Northeast.
- Noise from placement of metal plates, gutters and other heavy materials during sidewalk work
- Construction vehicles parked on Northeast 43rd Street during the pouring of concrete and delivery of materials during sidewalk and bridge work
- Noise and low-level vibration during drilling of cable tie-backs and soil nails during excavation.
- Dust from soil removal and pouring of concrete.
- Frequent truck traffic on area roads and on the project site delivering materials and hauling materials offsite. Expect an average of four trucks per hour during excavation (daytime hours).
- Trucks delivering large loads during the early morning hours.
- Wheel washing stations to minimize truck debris track-out onto city streets.
Crews will work to minimize impacts, such as noise, dust, debris, and access impacts during the work.
Equipment: bulldozers, dump trucks, concrete trucks, vacuum trucks, excavators, jackhammers, cranes, generators, water treatment systems, street sweepers
Schedule: Work hours are typically Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Intermittent weekend and evening work may be scheduled. Construction schedules are subject to change. Notifications will be distributed for significant changes.
What's Next?
Sidewalk restoration is one of the last activities to occur before crews can re-open Northeast 43rd Street between Brooklyn Avenue Northeast and the alley. Crews will also be installing the gold construction wall along the bridge, completing finish work on the bridge, installing traffic signage, and striping the roadway. Crews will re-open Northeast 43rd Street between Brooklyn Avenue Northeast and the alley to one-way eastbound traffic by early spring.
