Name That...World's Largest Diameter Tunneling Machine

This would be the one to create the tunnel for State Route 99 downtown.  So funny but yes, a contest for kids so tell yours to have at it.  From DOT:

Here’s a riddle for the kids of Washington state: What do you call the record-breaking, dirt-chomping, future-changing machine that will begin tunneling beneath downtown Seattle next summer?

Answer: You tell us.

The Washington State Department of Transportation kicked off a statewide contest today for kindergarten through 12th grade students to name the machine that will dig the State Route 99 tunnel to replace the waterfront section of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Crews in Japan are putting the finishing touches on the machine, which – at five stories tall – will be the world’s largest to date. The winning name will be painted on the machine and the contest winner will be invited to attend the dedication event next year in Seattle.

“This project will be a great benefit for future generations, and that’s why we’re turning to the next generation to help name it,” said Washington Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond. “We want to get students across the state excited about this impressive engineering feat underway in their own backyard.”

Each entry must include a proposed name for the machine and a 200-word-or-less description of why they chose it. Entries are due by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13. Check WSDOT’s website for contest details, rules and restrictions.

There are three ways to enter:
  • Online at www.alaskanwayviaduct.org/
  • In person at Milepost 31, 211 First Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104.
  • By mail at Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program, 999 Third Ave., Suite 2424, Seattle, WA 98104.
The winner will be announced in December, when project officials travel to Japan and Seattle Tunnel Partners takes ownership of the completed SR 99 tunneling machine. For more information about the SR 99 Tunnel Project, visit www.alaskanwayviaduct.org/.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Speaking as someone "in the know", whatever you do, don't call it a "drill". It is a tunnel boring machine or TBM and is ultra COOL!

nerd
10/22/12, 1:50 PM
Rufus X said…
Does anyone else here (or do your tween/teen kids) think of "Boneshaker" each time you hear about this giant TBM?
10/22/12, 2:39 PM
Anonymous said…
How 'bout Muckraker (since the goopy stuff that comes out of earth-pressure balance TBMs is called muck)?

nerd
10/23/12, 10:00 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday Open Thread

The speaker list is up for the Board meeting tomorrow; not as packed as I thought with just four people on the waitlist. The majority of the speakers are speaking on high school boundaries (with several wanting to talk about Ballard High). There are only three of us speaking about the Green Dot resolution asking the City to not grant the zoning departures that Green Dot has requested.  It's me, long-time watchdog, Chris Jackins, and the head of the Washington State Charter Schools Association, Patrick D'Amelio.  (I knew Mr. D'Amelio when he headed the Alliance for Education and Big Brothers and Big Sisters; he's a stand-up guy.)
Read more

Breaking It Down: Where the District Might Close Schools

Update 2: an absolutely fabulous interactive map made by parent Beth Day (@thebethocracy on Twitter - she covers Board meetings and is fun to read).   end of update    Update 1: Mea culpa, I did indeed get Decatur and Thornton Creek mixed up. Thanks to all for the correction. end of update   I suspect some who read this post will be irate. Why do this? Because the district seems very hellbent on this effort with no oversight skid marks from the Board.    To clearly state - I do not believe that closing 20 schools is a good idea. I think they hit on 20 because they thought it might bring in the most savings. But the jury is still out on the savings because the district has not shown its work nor its data. I suspect closing schools and THEN leasing/renting them is the big plan but that means the district really has to keep the buildings up.   But this district, with its happy talk about "well-resourced schools" is NOT acknowledging the pain and yes, gr...
Read more

Education News Roundup

From the ever-amusing Washington Policy Center : Vouchers are Pell Grants for students under 18.  Vouchers are no different than Pell Grants or GI benefits, except the money goes to the families of students younger than age 18.  Except they are. Pell Grants were created to help needy students and that's not really the goal of the voucher program.  The Pell grant website does have a couple of great studies on why low-income students drop out before finishing their higher ed and what makes a difference.
Read more