MudHoney finishes two-year tunneling journey from Ballard to Wallingford

The tunnel-boring machine MudHoney has finished digging its way from Ballard to Wallingford.

The 18-foot-wide, 2.7-mile-long tunnel will be used for wastewater storage as part of the Ship Canal Water Quality project. MudHoney started digging in August 2021; it reached its destination in Wallingford just last week.

MudHoney exited its tunnel in the Wallingford shaft at N 35th St and Interlake Ave N. Seattle Public Utilities says there are a few final tunnel segments for MudHoney to dig, and then crews will be dismantling and removing MudHoney from the Wallingford site over the next several weeks using a large crane.

The Wallingford shaft was filled with water when MudHoney emerged. SPU says they had to fill the shaft with water to prevent outside groundwater from rushing into the shaft when MudHoney broke through the wall.

In Ballard at the Shilshole construction site, crews will begin to empty the muck bins and start to dismantle, clean, and move off-site the tunneling equipment.

In East Ballard starting June 26, 11th Ave NW south of NW 45th St will be fully closed for two or three days to support the excavation for the new maintenance hole on the south side of the diversion structure.

Crews continue work inside the adit and shaft on NW 45th St, and in the diversion structure on 11th Ave NW. In the coming weeks, crews will continue installing the conveyance pipe that will extend from the diversion structure to the storage tunnel.

For more information about the project, visit the Ship Canal Water Quality project website.

Photo: SPU