April 28, 2022 Seattle Times Article by Mike Lindblom
“…managers blame construction errors, a concrete delivery strike, COVID-19, frayed supply chains and even bad weather.”
Most disturbing from the article is this:
“Progress reports say the prime schedule risk involves concrete track ties where the rails curve toward International District/Chinatown Station, on the former express lanes of Interstate 90. Several of the ties, known as plinths, were built to wrong dimensions and need to be rebuilt, Sound Transit managers told its governing board in the fall.
Contractors in the Kiewit/Hoffman joint venture are making repairs, but those are more complex than anticipated. Extra inspections are needed to ensure workers don’t drill into previously built rebar. Some 34,600 pieces of hardware that fasten rails to the concrete ties must be removed and eventually reinstalled, said Deputy East Link Director Jon Lebo. Some concrete contains weak spots, he said. Plinths in those sections must be grinded down and topped with polyurethane before rails can be refastened, akin to dental work.”