Construction and testing Central Link



the headhouse of beacon hill station, seen under construction in may 2009


sound transit received $500 million federal grant agreement in october 2003, , groundbreaking ceremony held in sodo on november 8, 2003. construction contracts various segments awarded in 2004 , 2005, coming 6 percent under sound transit s estimates, , work began along parts of system. first rails installed on august 18, 2005, in sodo area; month later, downtown transit tunnel closed two-year renovation accommodate light rail service. excavation of beacon hill tunnel , station began in 2005, , tunnel boring machine launched in 2006 bore twin tunnels between sodo , rainier valley.


the sodo , stadium stations completed in may 2006, , light rail testing in sodo area began following march. testing extended re-opened downtown transit tunnel in september 2007, limited weekends without bus service, , further extended rainier valley after completion of beacon hill tunnel in 2008. elevated guideway in tukwila, including crossings of major freeways , duwamish river, completed in 2007 after installation of 2,457 precast concrete segments , balanced cantilever bridges. during construction in rainier valley, sound transit , city of seattle offered $50 million in mitigation funds , development opportunities affected businesses. construction of light rail along martin luther king jr. way south resulted in utility lines moved underground, improved sidewalks, street crossings, , landscaping.








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