Download or read book Building a New State Route 99 Through Seattle written by and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Alaskan Way Viaduct, an elevated section of State Route 99 in Seattle, was built in the 1950s, and decades of daily wear and tear have taken their toll on the structure. Because of the viaduct's age and vulnerability to earthquakes, replacing it is critical to public safety. A number of projects will work together to replace the viaduct: a two-mile long tunnel beneath downtown Seattle; a mile-long stretch of new highway that connects to the south entrance of the tunnel, near Seattle's stadiums; a new Alaskan Way surface street connecting the southern end of SR 99 to downtown Seattle; a new overpass at the south end of downtown that allows traffic to bypass train blockages near Seattle's busiest port terminal; demolition of the viaduct's downtown waterfront section.