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BACK TO
BACK TO YOU GUYS. >> THANK YOU TED.
>>> NOW TO THE OTHER BIG STORY
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. THE GRAND OPENING TO THE NEW
SEATTLE TUNNEL SCHEDULED FOR
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, FEBRUARY
2 AND 3. AND KING 5 IS THE
MEDIA PARTNER.
MEDIA PARTNER. AND YES.
AND YES.
AND YES. THEY PLAN TO BE FINISHED
BEFORE THE SUPER BOWL SUNDAY.
>> WILL THE TUNNEL BE OPEN TO
DRIVERS THAT MONDAY?
FEBRUARY 4? GLENN FARLEY IS
HERE.
HERE.
HERE. CAN'T SEEM TO COMMIT, GLENN?
>> Reporter: RIGHT.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
LET ME TELL YOU WHY IT WILL
TAKE THREE WEEKS TO HOOK ALL
THIS UP.
THIS UP.
THIS UP. THIS IS WHERE IT IS MORE
DIFFICULT.
DIFFICULT. THERE'S A LOT MORE ROADS.
EVERYTHING GOING ON THERE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT BRIDGE
OUT THERE.
OUT THERE. THERE'S ACTUALLY A RAMP THAT
WAS BUILT YEARS AGO.
THIS ALL WILL HAVE TO CUT
THROUGH AND CONNECT THAT
BRIDGE UP AND OTHER THINGS,
BUT LET'S TAKE A LOOK BACK AS
WE LOOK FORWARD.
I HAD THE CHANCE TO TAKE YOU
INTO THE TUNNEL SEVERAL TIMES.
AS THE TUNNEL GOT LONGER, WE
SWITCHED IF TAKING YOU IN ON
FOOT TO CREW TRANSPORT
VEHICLES LIKE THIS.
BY LAST MARCH, THE TUNNEL WAS
LOOKING A LOT LIKE WHAT YOU
WILL SEE WHEN YOU ACTUALLY
START DRIVING THROUGH IT.
THIS IS THE TUNNEL TODAY.
A FEW CONTRACTORS STILL AROUND
TOUCHING UP PAINT, MAKING SOME
TWEAKS.
TWEAKS.
TWEAKS. WHAT'S KNOWN AS PUNCH LIST
ITEMS.
ITEMS.
ITEMS. THE TUNNEL TECHNICALLY COULD
HANDLE TRAFFIC RIGHT NOW.
BUT, IT'S THE GETTING THERE
THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
THE TUNNEL REALLY ISN'T HOOKED
UP TO THE REST OF THE ROAD
NETWORK YET.
NETWORK YET. WHAT'S THE PLAN?
ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 11,
FOLLOWING THE EVENING COMMUTE,
THE VIADUCT WILL CLOSE
FOREVER.
FOREVER.
FOREVER. THAT MEANS FOR THREE WEEKS,
THERE IS NO HIGHWAY 99 THROUGH
DOWNTOWN UNTIL THE TUNNEL
OPENS.
OPENS.
OPENS. THAT'S WHEN THE LAST BIT OF
ROADWORK WILL BE FINISHED
INVOLVING PAINTING AND
CONCRETE PORES.
CONCRETE PORES. THE OPENING DAY SHOULD BE
FEBRUARY 4. A MONDAY.
>> IS IT LIKELY THAT THE
FOURTH WILL BE THE OPENING DAY
ON THAT MONDAY?
>> THAT'S WHAT WE ARE SHOOTING
FOR.
FOR.
FOR. THAT'S THE GOAL.
>> Reporter: DAVID SOURS IS
THE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR.
>> THERE IS ALSO THE CONCERNS
THAT COULD PUSH THE SCHEDULE A
DAY OR TWO.
CERTAINLY WE THINK IT WILL
HAPPEN THAT WEEK.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO PROMISE
IT WOULD HAPPEN ON MONDAY
MORNING.
MORNING.
MORNING. >> Reporter: YOU HAVE TO GET
READY TOO AND MAKE A PLAN FOR
HOW YOU WILL GET IN AND OUT
AND THROUGH DOWNTOWN UNTIL THE
TUNNELS OPEN.
TUNNELS OPEN. WE'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED
COUNTING DOWN TO THE CLOSURE
AND THEN THE OPENING.
AND HERE'S A SAMPLING OF WHAT
WE ARE WORKING ON.
LET'S START AT THE NORTH END.
MOST OF THE NEW ROADWAY TO THE
TUNNEL IS IN.
BUT, THE FINAL CONNECTIONS
NEED TO BE MADE BETWEEN NORTH
AND SOUTHBOUND HIGHWAY 99 IN
AND OUT OF THE TUNNEL.
THINGS ARE MORE COMPLICATED AT
THE SOUTH END OF THE TUNNEL
BECAUSE THE OFF RAMP WILL
CLOSE A WEEK SOONER THAN THE
REST OF THE THREE WEEK
CLOSURE.
CLOSURE.
CLOSURE. BUT WHEN THE TUNNEL IS OPEN,
TRAFFIC WON'T BE THE SAME.
BUT EXPERTS SAY THEY CAN'T
KNOW HOW IT WILL CHANGE.
CONSIDER THIS.
CONSIDER THIS. WHILE YOU CAN GET ON AND OFF
THE VIADUCT DOWNTOWN, THERE
ARE NO ON AND OFF RAMPS IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE TUNNEL.
BUT, THE SURFACE STREETS LIKE
THE NEW ALASKA WAY WILL GIVE
YOU NEW OPTIONS.
STREETS LIKE HARRISON ONCE
BLOCKED BY AURORA WILL NOW GO
THROUGH.
THROUGH.
THROUGH. GETTING AROUND COULD BE EASIER
FOR SOME.
FOR SOME.
FOR SOME. MORE DIFFICULT FOR OTHERS.
COME TO LOVE IT OR DESPISE IT,
IT WAS BUILT TO IMPROVE
EARTHQUAKE VULNERABILITY.
EARTHQUAKE VULNERABILITY. THERE'S A LOT COMING UP.
KEEP IT RIGHT HERE.
I CAN'T STRESS THIS UP.
YOU REALLY DO WANT TO BE
READY.
READY.
READY. FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TIME.
JANUARY IS A COUPLE OF MONTHS
OFF.
OFF.
OFF. NOVEMBER RIGHT NOW JUST
STARTING.
STARTING.
STARTING. BUT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT
JANUARY WILL BE ON US BEFORE
YOU KNOW IT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION
INCLUDING A LOT LONGER
VERSIONS OF JUST HOW TO
NEGOTIATE ALL OF THIS.
IF YOU DO HAVE TO DRIVE DOWN
HERE DURING