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