Also, it's been pretty quiet for updates from the city ever since the concrete pours were done. In November, they posted a youtube vdeo, there was no update of any kind in December, in January, the published the one page update that says nothing but has a couple pictures, and no updates so far in February or March.
Work has been going on through the winter, so I'm not sure why they can't give an update. Work has been done on the portal walls (I can see this from 36th Street as I drive by), and certainly on the electrical and mechanical systems, and the stormwater holding tank.
Final grading was tendered earlier this year, and the work for that will involve closing 36th Street NE between Country Hills Blvd and 80th Ave for a couple of months this summer. The intersection of Barlow and Airport Trail will be down to less lanes for a period as well.
I noticed on the tender plans that there is going to be an electronic system that will allow access through the tunnel to be closed off - mostly electronic signage that can light up saying no right turn or no left turn, or u-turn required. Without knowing more details, I would guess that this would be for use in large rain storm events, when the tunnel might flood - the provided stormwater tank unable to handle the amount of water. The tunnel gets quite deep under the existing grade, plus the stormwater tank obviously has to be built lower than that (it's just outside the tunnel at the west end - the lowest place in the tunnel is quite close to the west end, and it slowly goes uphill at it goes east.
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