Editorials / Opinion

BERTHA’S BROKEN SEALS: The $80 million tunnel-boring machine is suffering from damage to the seals that are supposed to protect its $5 million main bearing. But before it even got to Seattle, the same seals were a problem. Workers in Japan discovered damage and ended up taking Bertha apart for repairs. (Mark Nowlin / The Seattle Times).

While the tunnel to replace the viaduct may have appeared to be a bright idea, it now is appearing to be more of a folly [“Bertha’s big troubles started in Japan,” Local News, Feb. 25]. Plagued by problems from the start — seals failed during initial testing in Japan — it has only managed to travel 1,025 feet of the 1.7 miles needed for the tunnel.

In one respect, the Seattle Tunnel Partners may be fortunate it broke down where it did because they have access to be able to dig a pit to remove the cutting head to repair the seals.

As a retired public works official with the City of Bellevue, I have followed with great interest the conundrum surrounding Bertha, the stuck tunnel boring machine [“Rock was just the right size to get stuck in Bertha,” The Today File, Jan. 22]. In my experience, one of the chief responsibilities of a lead agency,…

Cut out unions Those in charge of the tunnel project should simply hire nonunion workers to deal with the removal of the excavated material from the boring project. [“Bertha stuck, needs help to get out of this muck,” NW Wednesday, Sept. 11.] Since neither union group is willing to make a compromise, the simple solution would…

A picket line that needs to be crossed I do not understand the longshoremen’s union’s position on the removal of dirt from the tunnel project. [“Tunnel work grinds to a halt over union dispute,” page one, Sept. 7.] They apparently agreed to arbitration but dislike the July ruling. They were offered a reasonable split of the…

Waste of time and money Do you really think the taxpaying public really cares who moves the dirt? [“Tunnel work grinds to a halt over union dispute,” page one, Sept. 7.] Holding up a project of this magnitude and cost for eight jobs is absolutely ludicrous. In the meantime, there are 250 construction workers twiddling…

Department of Transportation’s publicity campaign is insulting After receiving numerous updates on Bertha, the Washington Department of Transportation’s tunnel-digging machine, and reading an invitation to “Bertha’s bon-voyage ceremony,” I have to respond. The tunneling machine is a thing, not a female. Perhaps you’re taking “boring” too literally, such that you have to anthropomorphize this digger and treat…