Report: Team Drops Out of Contention for Seattle Deep-Bore Tunnel

One of three remaining teams shortlisted to construct a design-build tunnel in Seattle has dropped out of contention, according to a July 12 report in the Puget Sound Business Journal. The AWV Joint Venture (Kiewit Pacific, Bilfinger-Berger, AECOM) is no longer vying for the contract, the report said. Earlier this year, VTS JV (VINCI Construction Grand Projects, Traylor Brothers, Skanska USA, Arup), also withdrew from consideration.

The two remaining teams include Seattle Tunnel Partners (Dragados USA, HNTB Corp.) and Seattle Tunneling Group (S.A. Healy, FCC Construction, Parsons Transportation Group, Halcrow). Bids are due this fall with contract award anticipated for January 2011.

The tunnel is part of the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement project. The tunnel plan, approved in January 2009, would carry SR 99 traffic under downtown Seattle and allow the decommissioning of the existing viaduct. The tunnel would stretch 1.7 miles using a soft-ground TBM, some 55 ft in diameter. The machine would be the biggest soft-ground TBM ever built.