On March 23, the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT) will convert to Link light rail trains only, and bus service will be moved to surface streets. At the Archives, we’re reminiscing over these photographs of its construction, showing a glimpse of 1980s Seattle and the people who built the tunnel.
The photos below come from Series 1844: Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel project files and Series 1147: Office of Information Resource Management Printing and Graphic Arts photographs. Ask an archivist if you have any questions about any of these photographs or the other transit-related records held at the King County Archives.
Pre-Construction Survey
As construction began, Metro staff took photographs of the interior and exterior of buildings along the tunnel’s route, ostensibly to document the current condition of the structures.
Nordstrom Best, 1536 Westlake Ave (Feb 17, 1987)
Frederick & Nelson, 500 Pine St (Feb 24, 1987)
Frederick & Nelson, 500 Pine St (Feb 24, 1987)
Frederick & Nelson, 500 Pine St (Feb 24, 1987)
Frederick & Nelson, 500 Pine St (Feb 24, 1987)
Frederick & Nelson, 500 Pine St (Feb 24, 1987)
Spin’s Tavern, 521 3rd Ave (Mar 4, 1987)
Spin’s Tavern, 521 3rd Ave (Mar 4, 1987)
Jay Jacobs, 1530 5th Ave (Mar 5, 1987)
Jay Jacobs, 1530 5th Ave (Mar 5, 1987)
Jay Jacobs, 1530 5th Ave (Mar 5, 1987)
Bruno Magli, 511 Pine St (Mar 5, 1987)
Klopfenstein’s, 600 Pine St (Mar 6, 1987)
Century Square, 1529 4th Ave (Apr 7, 1987)
Century Square, 1529 4th Ave (Apr 7, 1987)
B. Dalton (Century Square), 1529 4th Ave (Apr 7, 1987)
Lobby of the Pacific Building, 720 3rd Ave (Sep 14, 1987)
The Goodie Box (Dexter Horton Building), 709 3rd Ave (Sep 14, 1987)
Kay’s Cookie Kitchen, 1111 3rd Ave (Oct 23, 1987)
Kay’s Cookie Kitchen, 1111 3rd Ave (Oct 23, 1987)
Theatre Building, 1515 3rd St (Nov 12, 1987)
Smoke Shop (Sterling Building), 1412 3rd Ave (Dec 10, 1987)
Documenting Construction
During construction, thousands of photographs were taken, in a variety of formats, to document the complex work required to dig the tunnel and prepare it for service. The photographs below are from the project files and were taken by Ray Halvorson, Ed Hunter, Norm Nelson, Vic Oblas, Keith Nordlund, and Merdad Shahverdi.
Convention Place demolition (May 4, 1987) – Ray Halvorson
Convention Place demolition (May 4, 1987) – Ray Halvorson
Tunnel construction (May 4, 1987) – Ray Halvorson
5th Ave/6th Ave Alley Duct Bank (May 6, 1987) – Ray Halvorson
Westlake Center construction (May 13, 1987 – Ray Halvorson
Westlake Center (May 21, 1987) – Ray Halvorson
Tunnel construction (Apr 22, 1987) – Keith Nordlund
Pile drilling by auger (May 13, 1987) – Merdad Shahverdi
Excavation, Pine St (Jun 29, 1987) – Merdad Shahverdi
Tunnel construction (May 5, 1987) – Vic Oblas
Tunnel boring machine near King Street Station (May 10, 1987) – Vic Oblas
MH20 placement (Aug 12, 1987) – Ed Hunter
12′ diameter rebar structure, Convention Place (Jul 28, 1987) – Merdad Shahverdi
Tunnel construction (Jun 2, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel construction (Jul 6, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel construction (Jun 26, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel construction (Jun 26, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Station Construction (1987)
The following photographs were taken by Norm Nelson and Vic Oblas.
Tunnel station construction (Aug 5, 1987) – Vic Oblas
Tunnel station construction (Aug 14, 1987) – Vic Oblas
Tunnel station construction (Sep 23, 1987) – Vic Oblas
Tunnel station construction (Sep 24, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel station construction (Sep 24, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel station construction (Sep 24, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel station construction (Sep 24, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel station construction (Sep 25, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel station construction (Sep 25, 1987) – Norm Nelson
Tunnel station construction (Oct 13, 1987) – Vic Oblas
Tunnel station construction (Oct 13, 1987) – Vic Oblas
Tunnel station construction (Nov 4, 1987) – Vic Oblas
Station Construction: International District (1988-1989)
International District Station construction (Sep 26, 1988)
Dan Graczyk, Manager of Transit Operations for Metro Tunnel Project (Sep 28, 1988)
International District Station construction (Oct 4, 1988)
International District Station construction (Oct 4, 1988)
International District Station construction (Oct 4, 1988)
International District Station construction (Oct 4, 1988)
International District Station construction (Oct 6, 1988)
International District Station construction (Jul 13, 1989)
International District Station construction (Jul 11, 1989)
International District Station construction (no date)
International District Station construction (Sep 26, 1988)
Station Construction: Pioneer Square Station (1988-1989)
South Portal BNRR Tunnel: Colbeck flatcar with compressor sandblaster (Jun 1, 1988)
South Portal BNRR Tunnel: Colbeck Sandblast train (Jun 1, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Dec 1, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Jun 17, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Feb 15, 1989)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Dec 9, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Jun 17, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Jun 17, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Jul 18, 1989)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Dec 1, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Dec 1, 1988)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Jul 18, 1989)
Pioneer Square Station construction (Dec 9, 1988)
Station Construction: Various (1989)
Station construction (Dec 7, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 7, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 14, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 11, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 19, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 11, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 14, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 12, 1989)
Station construction (Dec 14, 1989)
Station Construction: University Street Station (1990)
University Street Station construction (Feb 1, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Mar 15, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Mar 15, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Mar 15, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Jan 12, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Jan 17, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Jan 22, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Mar 19, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Feb 1, 1990)
University Street Station construction (Jan 12, 1990)
The photographs below are from Printing and Graphic Arts. Photographers include Ned Ahrens, Tim Healy, and Barton L. Attebery.
Construction area, 9th Ave and Pine St
Nordstrom
Sinkhole, 6th Ave (Mar 1987)
Sinkhole, 3rd Ave and Spring St (Oct 1987)
Viewing area
Mannequins in a window near the construction (Jul 1987)
Burlington Northern tunnel
Tunnel Construction
Westlake construction
Tunnel boring machine
Tunnel boring machine
Station Construction
International District Station, Union Station, and the Kingdome
Smoothing concrete
Installing tiles at International District Station
Westlake Station
Westlake construction
Pioneer Square Station
Pioneer Square Station
Pioneer Square Station entrance
Pioneer Square Station
Pioneer Square Station
Pioneer Square Station entrance
Bird’s-eye view of Convention Place Station
Convention Place Station
Convention Place Station, in front of the Paramount Theatre
Laying rails at Convention Place Station
Pioneer Square Station tunnel segments
Pioneer Square Station
The people who built the tunnel
Tunnel workers take a break
Installing rail
Relocating utilities
Drilling tests, with Smith Tower in the background
Moving utilities near 3rd Ave
The Bon Marché, 3rd Ave and Pine St
Metro staff on the Monorail tracks
Drilling near Pine St
Employees tour the tunnel
Employees tour the tunnel
Employees tour the tunnel
Employees tour the tunnel
Tunnel breakthrough
Control room for the tunnel
Tunnel Stations
University Street Station entrance (Dec 1991)
University Street Station
Pioneer Square Station
Pioneer Square Station
Panorama of Convention Place Station; Paramount Theatre is on the right
Convention Place Station
Convention Place Station
Pioneer Square Station gates
Pioneer Square Station entrance
DSTT Events
Tunnel run (Sep 1990)
First day of tunnel operations: first bus through (Sep 15, 1990) – Ned Ahrens
First day of tunnel operations: first bus through (Sep 15, 1990) – Ned Ahrens
Tunnel completed festivities (Nov 1988)
A model poses in front of a tunnel opening
Mighty Mole, mascot for the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, at the tunnel breakthrough
Mighty Mole enjoying breakfast
Mighty Mole and Jack Kent (1987)
As we say bon voyage to the buses leaving the tunnel, contact the Archives for more information about the photographs above, to make an appointment to see more, or to ask an archivist about anything else related to King County history!
Digitization and description of photographs: Amanda Demeter and Danielle Coyle
Text and arrangement: Jill Anderson
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