Send in the cranes: Mega projects pack Seattle's construction pipeline

A laundry list of major building awaits Seattle's next mayor. Can you say $16 billion?

Send in the cranes: Mega projects pack Seattle's construction pipeline

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Knute Berger

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Knute Berger Feb 17, 2013

Feb 17, 2013

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          <article>
            <header>
              <hgroup>
                <h1>Send in the cranes: Mega projects pack Seattle's construction pipeline</h1>
                <h2><p>A laundry list of major building awaits Seattle's next mayor. Can you say $16 billion?</p></h2>
              </hgroup>
               <p>By <a href="/author/knute-berger/">Knute Berger</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 17, 2013</time></p>
            </header>
            <p>A laundry list of major building awaits Seattle's next mayor. Can you say $16 billion?</p><p><strong>Seattle's next mayor will have an in-box stuffed with reports </strong>on the city's many ongoing and large-scale public and public/private construction projects. Here is a rundown, complete with pricetags and timelines, on some of the biggest and most important infrastructure projects in the works or underway in our fair city. All the schedules and figures below are taken from public documents, press reports and/or estimates provided by the various oversight agencies.<br> <br> <strong>Elliott Bay Sea Wall</strong><br>   Budget: $385 million<br>   Sequence:<br>   Broad Street to University — Sept. 2013 - June 2014<br>   University Street to Madison — Sept. 2014 - June 2015<br>   Madison Street to Washington — Sept. 2015 - Feb. 2016<br> <br> <strong>Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project</strong><br>   Budget: $3.1 billion<br>   Sequence:<br>   Tunnel Boring — 2013-2014<br>   Tunnel Opening — 2015<br>   Viaduct demolition begins — 2016<br> <br> <strong>Waterfront Makeover</strong><br>   Estimated Budget: $420 million<br>   Re-do begins 2016<br> <br> <strong>520 Replacement</strong><br>   Budget: $4.1 billion<br>   Sequence:<br>   New bridge open to drivers — 2014-2015<br>   Old bridge demolition begins — 2014-2015<br> <br> <strong>SoDo Arena</strong><br>   Budget: $490 million (up to $200 million in public funds)<br>   Construction (if approved) — 2015-2016<br> <br> <strong>Mercer Project, Phase II</strong><br>   Budget: $95 million<br>   Mercer West — 2013-2015<br> <br> <strong>Sound Transit</strong><br>   Budget: $1.9 billion<br>   University Link Opens — 2016</p><p><strong>Sound Transit North </strong><br>   Budget: $2.1 billion<br>   Sequence:<br>   Husky Stadium to Northgate Construction — 2012-2019<br>   Service begins — 2021<br> <br> <strong>Sound Transit East Link</strong><br>   Budget: $2.8 billion<br>   Sequence:<br>   Design — 2013-2014<br>   Property Acquisition — 2014-2017<br>   Construction — 2015-2020<br>   Service begins — 2023<br> <br> <strong>Sound Transit Other</strong><br>   Budget: $383 million<br>   South 200th Street (SeaTac) — 2016<br> <br> <strong>Kent/DesMoines Link</strong><br>   Budget (early estimate): $403 million<br>   Scheduled start — 2023<br> <br> <strong>Lynnwood Link</strong><br>   Budget (early estimate): $1.3 billion<br>   Scheduled start — 2023<br> <br> <strong>Port of Seattle</strong><br>   Budget: $230 million<br>   SeaTac Airport NorthSTAR Renovation — 2014-2016<br> <br> <strong>Yesler Terrace Redevelopment</strong><br>   Budget (estimate): $1 billion<br>   Sequence (10-20-year build out):<br>   Phase I — 2013-2014<br>   Phase II — 2014-2016</p>
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A laundry list of major building awaits Seattle's next mayor. Can you say $16 billion?

Seattle's next mayor will have an in-box stuffed with reports on the city's many ongoing and large-scale public and public/private construction projects. Here is a rundown, complete with pricetags and timelines, on some of the biggest and most important infrastructure projects in the works or underway in our fair city. All the schedules and figures below are taken from public documents, press reports and/or estimates provided by the various oversight agencies.

Elliott Bay Sea Wall
Budget: $385 million
Sequence:
Broad Street to University — Sept. 2013 - June 2014
University Street to Madison — Sept. 2014 - June 2015
Madison Street to Washington — Sept. 2015 - Feb. 2016

Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project
Budget: $3.1 billion
Sequence:
Tunnel Boring — 2013-2014
Tunnel Opening — 2015
Viaduct demolition begins — 2016

Waterfront Makeover
Estimated Budget: $420 million
Re-do begins 2016

520 Replacement
Budget: $4.1 billion
Sequence:
New bridge open to drivers — 2014-2015
Old bridge demolition begins — 2014-2015

SoDo Arena
Budget: $490 million (up to $200 million in public funds)
Construction (if approved) — 2015-2016

Mercer Project, Phase II
Budget: $95 million
Mercer West — 2013-2015

Sound Transit
Budget: $1.9 billion
University Link Opens — 2016

Sound Transit North
Budget: $2.1 billion
Sequence:
Husky Stadium to Northgate Construction — 2012-2019
Service begins — 2021

Sound Transit East Link
Budget: $2.8 billion
Sequence:
Design — 2013-2014
Property Acquisition — 2014-2017
Construction — 2015-2020
Service begins — 2023

Sound Transit Other
Budget: $383 million
South 200th Street (SeaTac) — 2016

Kent/DesMoines Link
Budget (early estimate): $403 million
Scheduled start — 2023

Lynnwood Link
Budget (early estimate): $1.3 billion
Scheduled start — 2023

Port of Seattle
Budget: $230 million
SeaTac Airport NorthSTAR Renovation — 2014-2016

Yesler Terrace Redevelopment
Budget (estimate): $1 billion
Sequence (10-20-year build out):
Phase I — 2013-2014
Phase II — 2014-2016

Knute Berger

By Knute Berger

Knute “Mossback” Berger is an editor-at-large and host of "Mossback’s Northwest" at Cascade PBS. He writes about politics and regional heritage.

Knute “Mossback” Berger is an editor-at-large and host of "Mossback’s Northwest" at Cascade PBS. He writes about politics and regional heritage.