Another milestone in the work to build the Veterans Drive tunnel under I-5 in SeaTac, WA. In December 2024, crews put down the first layer of pavement in the tunnel.
The tunnel is part of the WSDOT Puget Sound Gateway Program's SR 509 Completion Project. The project finishes SR 509 by linking it to I-5 and improving the SR 516 interchange. When completed, the tunnel will link to the I-5 on-and off-ramps at SR 516. The tunnel will offer southbound I-5 travelers the opportunity to turn left part way down the ramp, travel under I-5 and then continue east on Veterans Drive directly to the Kent Valley. People who want to enter I-5 from the Kent Valley will be able to simply travel west on SR 516 or Veterans Drive to reach I-5. Those on Veterans Drive will no longer have to turn onto Military Road and then onto SR 516 to access the on-ramp. Veterans Drive will be extended across Military Road to a new on-ramp.
The Puget Sound Gateway Program finishes critical missing links in Washington's highway and freight network.
Tags: SR 509 Completion Project Paving Veterans Drive Tunnel Puget Sound Gateway Program I-5 SeaTac, WA Freight KO
There's a lot of dirt to be removed when excavating a new tunnel. This excavation is for the new Veterans Drive tunnel under I-5 in SeaTac, WA for the SR 509 Completion Project.
Crew previously built the portion of the tunnel under the southbound lanes. The top half of that tunnel is visible on the right side of the photo. The section under excavation will eventually be under the northbound lanes which were temporarily shifted to one side for the work.
The SR 509 Completion Project is part of the Puget Sound Gateway Program which completes critical missing links in Washington state's highway and freight network.
Tags: Veterans Drive Tunnel Tunnel excavation SR 509 Completion Project Puget Sound Gateway Program I-5 SeaTac, WA KO
It's a dirty job, but has to be done. Contractor crews are digging up and hauling out a lot of dirt on southbound I-5 in SeaTac, WA to build the next section of the Veterans Drive tunnel.
After they've dug about 30 feet down or so, they'll begin setting support rings for the tunnel. The first set of rings installed are visible on the left side of the photo. This next set will be connected to those.
The tunnel is part of the SR 509 Completion Project which connects SR 509 to I-5 but also includes improving the SR 516 interchange in the upper right. The new Veterans Drive tunnel is a key part of the improvements. It will offer direct access under I-5 to the on- and -off ramps, providing another route to easily reach neighborhoods on the east side of I-5.
The SR 509 Completion project is part of the Puget Sound Gateway program which completes critical missing links in Washington state's highway and freight network.
Tags: SR 509 Completion Project Tunnel excavation Veterans Drive Tunnel Puget Sound Gateway Program I-5 SeaTac, WA Des Moines, WA Kent, WA KO
The ends of the new rings for the Veterans Drive Tunnel under I-5 in SeaTac, WA are almost fully exposed.
The tunnel is part of the SR 509 Completion Project.
Crews are excavating the southbound I-5 lanes to install the next set of tunnel rings that will connect to the ones in this photo.
After it's fully excavated, they'll start building walls and foundations so they can install the final set of tunnel rings for the portion of the tunnel that will run under the southbound lanes and eventually connect to the southbound I-5 off-ramp to SR 516.
When the tunnel is complete under the southbound I-5, crews will begin building the tunnel under northbound I-5 lanes. The tunnel will provide another route to travel from one side of I-5 to the other. Eventually Veterans Drive will be extended farther east to connect to Military Road South.
The SR 509 Completion Project is part of the Puget Sound Gateway program which completes critical missing links in Washington state's highway and freight network.
Tags: SR 509 Completion Project Puget Sound Gateway Program Veterans Drive tunnel I-5 Tunnel excavation Tunnel SeaTac, WA Kent, WA Des Moines, WA
The SR 509 Completion Project in the SeaTac/Des Moines area includes a new Veteran's Drive tunnel under I-5.
It's difficult to get a sense the size of the tunnel structures until you see it in person. However, this photo provides a better sense of their size compared to the white car on I-5 that is just visible in the break of the white fencing.
Each tunnel structure will carry two lanes of traffic. One is for westbound and the other for eastbound.
After completing the section of the tunnel that will be under the I-5 median, crews began the hard work of burying it under lots of dirt and gravel. You can’t just dump tons (literally) of dirt and rock on top because that could cause the tunnel structures to lean to one side or twist. Instead, crews add dirt and rock to one side, building it up about 4 feet at time, spread it out, compact it and then move to the other side and repeat the process. Then back to the other side and repeat again. They will keep up this process until the structures are completely covered.
The SR 509 Completion project is part of the Puget Sound Gateway program which completes critical missing links in Washington state's highway and freight network.
Tags: SR 509 Completion Project Tunnel construction Veterans Drive tunnel Puget Sound Gateway Program I-5 Des Moines, WA SeaTac, WA WSDOT