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Week of Aug 28, 2006
Boeing Field reopens newly rehabilitated runway
King County International Airport (KCIA), commonly known as Boeing Field, fully reopened its main runway at 8 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 28 marking the end of major rehabilitation of the 10,000-foot runway. The reopening completes the most labor-intensive and complex phase of the project, which began Aug. 8. Remaining finishing work will be completed over the next few weeks.
KCIA Director Bob Burke praised project general contractor ICON, its subcontractors, construction manager URS, and airport staff for carrying out a highly professional and coordinated effort to rehabilitate and reopen the runway on time and within budget.
“In my 24 years in airport management I have never seen a project as well coordinated and go as smoothly as this one,” said Burke. “Everyone involved in this project is to be congratulated for getting our main runway reopened and back in business for the next 25 years.”
During the course of the project, crews paved the equivalent of two miles of Interstate 5 in 20 days, working around the clock without a single job related injury. More than 4,200 trucks delivered approximately 100,000 tons of asphalt. Crews installed an estimated 20,000 lineal feet of runway edge drains, added several miles of cabling and conduit, installed a new runway edge lighting system, reinstalled runway signage, removed and replaced thousands of yards of excavated material and reconstructed 15 taxiway connector points - all while keeping the airport open and the smaller runway operating normally.
While the project went well, there were a few surprises. Most notably, more liquefaction problems and soil compaction than expected were discovered at taxiway connectors. However, dry weather allowed crews to work uninterrupted and meet their goal of opening a 5,000-foot section of the main runway last Thursday for limited operations.
 The main runway is one of the longest in the state and supports the movement of billions of dollars worth of manufactured aircraft, accommodating more than 300,000 operations by air cargo, general aviation, test flight operations and commercial passenger service in the region each year. In all, the airport supports more than 500 aircraft and 150 businesses based at Boeing Field.
Photo: Runway closed at nightThe main runway was last rehabilitated in 1985. In addition to years of normal wear-and-tear, the runway experienced significant damage during the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake. While immediate repairs were made following the quake, liquefaction of the sub-base soils caused cracking and depressions – problems that have now been corrected as part of the renovation project.
The project was funded in part by a $24.5 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The total cost of the main runway rehabilitation is expected to cost $27 million.
Transit users in the Puget Sound region will be asked to help shape the future of regional transportation this fall. Seven local public transportation agencies will conduct a test of a new “smart card” electronic fare system that will allow riders to seamlessly travel throughout the region from system to system. The smart card is a plastic card containing an embedded microchip processor that can keep track of fare transactions. The card uses contact-less technology so a user only needs to bring it within a few inches of a reader for it to work. Smart card users can purchase passes on their card or store funds in an electronic purse (“e-purse”) for use in traveling across systems that have different fares. The card will automatically deduct fares from an e-purse or signal that a rider has a valid pass, thus speeding up the fare payment process. For more information about the test phase and which Metro routes will be involved, visit the ORCA website.
Over the coming Labor Day weekend, Metro will be providing transit service to the 36th annual Bumbershoot Festival. This large-scale arts festival features more than 2,500 artists on more than 20 stages and venues at the Seattle Center. There will be no special service to the festival on Friday, Sept. 1, because there is plenty of regular weekday bus service to the center. Two special shuttle runs will be available on Saturday, Sunday and Monday – Sept. 2-4. The downtown shuttle operates between Third Avenue and Pine Street to the Seattle Center at Fifth Avenue and Broad Street. The fare is $1.25 for northbound trips, with a free return. The second shuttle operates from the Northgate Park-and-Ride lot at Northeast 112th Street and 5th Avenue Northeast, and from the Northgate Transit center at 1st Avenue Northeast and Northeast 103rd Street. That fare is $2 each way. The return trip boarding location at the Seattle Center for the Northgate shuttles is eastbound on Mercer Street, just east of Third Avenue North. See Metro Online for more details.
On Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4, Metro Transit and Sound Transit will operate with a Sunday schedule. If a route does not normally run on Sunday, there will be no service on Labor Day. The Elliott Bay Water Taxi and Water Taxi Land Shuttle will both operate on a Saturday schedule. Metro's Pony Express to Emerald Downs Race Track will also be operating on the holiday. All Metro offices will be closed on Labor Day. |
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The Seattle Seahawks will have another pre-season home game this Thursday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. at Qwest Field. Traffic is expected to be heavy in the SODO area during the afternoon commute and into the early evening. For those going to the game, skip the traffic hassles and ride Metro instead. On weekdays, all Metro and Sound Transit service – including Sounder commuter rail – that travels into or out of downtown Seattle via First Avenue South, Fourth Avenue South, the SODO Busway, or South Jackson Street, stops within walking distance of Qwest Field. There is no special shuttle service prior to this game, but after the game is over the Seahawks and Metro are providing non-stop shuttle service to five area park-and-ride lots from Qwest Field for $3. The service will be provided to the following park-and-ride lots: Northgate, South Kirkland, Eastgate, Kent/James Street, and Federal Way/South 320th Street. See Metro Online for all the details.
The University of Washington football team opens the 2006 season at home against San Jose State this Saturday, Sept. 2, and Metro will be there with special shuttle service for Husky fans. Eliminate driving and parking hassles on trips to and from the congestion around Husky Stadium. Your ride is free on any Metro bus when you show your Husky game ticket or ticket stub to the bus driver. In addition to the regular bus service to and from campus, Metro will also offer special shuttle service between the stadium and eight outlying park-and-ride lots: Shoreline; Northgate Transit Center; Houghton; Kingsgate; South Kirkland; Eastgate; South Renton; and Federal Way. There will also be supplemental service on Husky game days on regular routes from Lake City, Ballard, Capitol Hill and downtown Seattle. Visit Metro Online for all the details about Husky game-day transit service, or call Metro’s Rider Information Office at (206) 553-3000. |
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