Ship Canal Water Quality project update

Meghan Walker Ballard

The project to improve water quality in the Ship Canal and Salmon Bay is humming along at its various sites in Ballard, Fremont, Wallingford, and Queen Anne.

The tunnel boring machine is being pieced together in Ballard—SPU has called for name submissions to give the machine a name. Over the next few weeks, SPU crews will continue assembling the machine and preparing the shaft and site, which includes paving and secant pile work. Actual tunneling operations will begin this summer, but in the meantime, you can expect the following:

  • More heavy equipment to arrive on site, such as cranes, potentially at night.
  • Truck deliveries of material to fill the shaft from the base to the tunnel invert level to support the TBM and associated tunnel activities.

Work hours in the downtown Ballard site are 7am to 5pm Monday through Friday with some weekend work possible.

In East Ballard, crews will continue with ground improvement works on NW 45th St. During these activities, SPU says you should anticipate:

  • NW 45th St closed to traffic; vehicles must detour onto NW 46th St.
  • Burke-Gilman Trail users remain detoured to the north side of NW 45th St; flaggers to help direct traffic during daytime working hours. Please follow all detour guidance on site. Bicyclists must cross train tracks at 90-degree angles. Please use extra caution in wet weather as ramps may be slippery.
  • Both lanes of 11th Ave NW south of NW 45th St are now open and will remain open for about six weeks.
  • Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site.

Regular work hours in East Ballard will be Monday through Friday, 7am to 5pm. Night and weekend work may occur to maintain progress.

(See anticipated traffic impacts through 2021 on SPU’s website.)

Over the next few weeks in Fremont, SPU crews will pour concrete for the shaft floor, begin tree removal on 3rd Ave NW, and continue utility work in NW 36th St. You should anticipate:

  • Dump trucks and excavators working on site and an uptick in traffic in Leary Way NW as trucks haul away excavated material and bring concrete to the site.
  • NW 36th St between Leary Way NW and 3rd Ave NW closed (through remainder of the project).
  • Pedestrians detoured to the north side of Leary Way NW.
  • A pump and bypass system running 24/7 to re-route an existing drainage line around the secant pile construction. This system is powered by a generator and will be in place for several more weeks.
  • Generators running constantly to power the dewatering pumps until permanent power is available on site.
  • Tree removal on 3rd Ave NW.

SPU says that in as early as April, crews will install a new water main in Leary Way NW. The work will close up to two travel lanes at a time, but two-way traffic will be maintained and assisted by flaggers. If you live near the site, there may be a short, temporary water shut-off. If your service will be impacted, you’ll receive a door hanger with more information. 

Regular work hours in Fremont will be Monday through Friday from 7am to 5pm. Night and weekend work may occur to maintain progress.