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News & ArtsMonday, October 26, 2009
City "Basically, We Will All Catch Fire and Fall Into the Sea and Die."
Posted by Eli Sanders on Mon, Oct 26, 2009 at 9:33 AM
As Lindy West noted in the Morning News, there's a video out—created by the Washington State Department of Transportation—that simulates what will happen when an earthquake hits and the viaduct goes kersplat.
Enjoy!
1
I wonder what a simulation of a 7.0 earthquake 20 miles from the epicenter would look like from inside of a deep-bore tunnel. I expect pretty terrifying.
PS - It was distracting to have the animation keep stopping to add captions. It sucked the drama right out of the clip. It was like trying to stream a movie on a dial-up connection.
PS - It was distracting to have the animation keep stopping to add captions. It sucked the drama right out of the clip. It was like trying to stream a movie on a dial-up connection.
2
That video just made me imagine what it would be like to be inside a tunnel that splits and fills with liquefied soil in response to an earthquake.
3
@1, about as bad as being in the bus tunnel.
I was really hoping that Godzilla would have been shown in the video. Or perhaps a meteor crashing into Puget Sound.
I was really hoping that Godzilla would have been shown in the video. Or perhaps a meteor crashing into Puget Sound.
5
It's very interesting that this video is being released now, right before the election. It was made two years ago. There's more about it at Publicola.
http://publicola.net/?p=17083
http://publicola.net/?p=17083
6
@4: Exactly. I think the pro tunnel forces see this video as helpful to Mallahan but I see the opposite as true.
Let's close the Viaduct sooner and cheaper. Let's do the surface-transit option.
Let's close the Viaduct sooner and cheaper. Let's do the surface-transit option.
7
This demands a Burial remix. If you start "Ghost Hardware" right when the map comes up, it syncs nicely for a minute.
10
Once they clear that rubble out of there, it'll look pretty good. I can really see now how getting rid of the Viaduct will re-connect downtown with the waterfront. What are you waiting for, quake gods?
14
Awesome! I want to see this made into a film version, preferrably directed by Roland Emmerich, but minus the annoying start-and-stop captions. Just destruction please. Show the Space Needle collapsing! Show The Stranger office exploding! Whoo-Hoo!!!
15
@12: fill soil mixes with water easily under earthquake conditions. It's usually called "liquefaction".
16
not the frankfurter! and red robin. and the argosy dock. and my office.
nice work, WSDOT. mcginn should use it.
nice work, WSDOT. mcginn should use it.
17
@13: when under stress, like in an earthquake, some types of soils can suddenly behave like a heavy liquid. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_liquef…
I think of it like when you're on the beach, the wet sand is pretty solid, but if you start wiggling your feet around it gets much more liquid-like.
I think of it like when you're on the beach, the wet sand is pretty solid, but if you start wiggling your feet around it gets much more liquid-like.
18
I have an idea! Let's put a tunnel in an area that scientists expect to LIQUEFY during a major earthquake.
22
Gregoire stumped in early 2008 on her plan to tear down the viaduct by 2012. She kept saying we can't risk the lives of Washingtonians since a devastating earthquake was imminent. She trumpeted how she'd tear it down by 2012 with or without Seattle's participation.
Guess she's not running again in 2012, huh? It'll be the next Governor's job if a quake happens, the poor sap. Having to appear in piles of rubble wearing a hard hat, fielding calls from a sobbing Ballard mother, wondering where her 16 year old went (hint: turned to a fine paste under the viaduct) and signing off on millions upon millions of dollars in payments to the families of victims.
Too bad we can't make her put an office under the viaduct. You know, to show us how safe it is.
Guess she's not running again in 2012, huh? It'll be the next Governor's job if a quake happens, the poor sap. Having to appear in piles of rubble wearing a hard hat, fielding calls from a sobbing Ballard mother, wondering where her 16 year old went (hint: turned to a fine paste under the viaduct) and signing off on millions upon millions of dollars in payments to the families of victims.
Too bad we can't make her put an office under the viaduct. You know, to show us how safe it is.
26
The tunnel isn't being built along the waterfront. It's going under 1st Ave., which is not a liquefaction area. Incredible how many people have strong opinions about this project but can't be bothered to find out the most basic information about it!
27
@25 That is the first thing I thought.
@26 That is a good point. And it just underscores a lot of the I-5/Transit supporters assertion of tearing down the Viaduct now and repair the seawall because it is so vulnerable. MEANWHILE, all the tunnel people can finish their studying (cause it's not even at 5% completion) and pay for the thing without Seattle's money (cause we'll have taken care of all the upgrades we're on the hook for down at the waterfront).
@26 That is a good point. And it just underscores a lot of the I-5/Transit supporters assertion of tearing down the Viaduct now and repair the seawall because it is so vulnerable. MEANWHILE, all the tunnel people can finish their studying (cause it's not even at 5% completion) and pay for the thing without Seattle's money (cause we'll have taken care of all the upgrades we're on the hook for down at the waterfront).
28
Imagine how much worse this would have been in an enclosed tunnel that went all the way from South Lake Union to the Stadiums with no exits, while the tanker filled with gasoline exploded inside it and everyone drowned.
Ouch.
Above factor 7 you can kiss your ass goodbye - no matter where you are. Half the buildings would collapse anyway.
Ouch.
Above factor 7 you can kiss your ass goodbye - no matter where you are. Half the buildings would collapse anyway.
30
@ 29 - the approved technique is to try to reach a doorway or archway, get into a ball, put your head between your legs...
...and kiss your ass goodbye...
...and kiss your ass goodbye...
31
That was almost as good as Battle In Seattle. Woody Harrelson really would have added something to this video.
33
This is what happens when you live in an area where the earth is slowly eating itself. Enjoy your subduction zone existence, suckers!
34
Seeing the Frankfurter stand collapse into the ocean really brings this issue home for me.
And, it's worth noting that -to get this view during the real Big One- you'd need to be standing on the roof of Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. Curious, indeed.
And, it's worth noting that -to get this view during the real Big One- you'd need to be standing on the roof of Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. Curious, indeed.
36
Would a surface parkway along this part of town seem all that much safer? The roads still break and sink, the gas lines rupture, the electricity still lights everything on fire...and because the waterfront is built on fill that will liquefy, the waterfront is toast (so much for "reconnecting" the city with it.)
Our options seem to be:
1) Get crushed by a falling viaduct and then burn/drown.
2) Get trapped in a tunnel and then burn/drown.
3) Burn/drown in a park.
Is there any confidence that reinforcing the seawall will lessen the burning and the drowning? (If so, that would seem to be the most important project facing us.)
Our options seem to be:
1) Get crushed by a falling viaduct and then burn/drown.
2) Get trapped in a tunnel and then burn/drown.
3) Burn/drown in a park.
Is there any confidence that reinforcing the seawall will lessen the burning and the drowning? (If so, that would seem to be the most important project facing us.)
37
Bring it on.
Remember that 8-lane river bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis -the one that had been designated as structurally deficient for ages? It was fully replaced in 13 months, all with federal money.
Remember that 8-lane river bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis -the one that had been designated as structurally deficient for ages? It was fully replaced in 13 months, all with federal money.
38
so what are the odds -- it's survived about 5 earthquakes already. Get an honest stat man to run the numbers. Scaring people is the best way to get the big bucks: war, earthquakes, etc.
but if it is so so unlikely, and if the number of people killed is small -- who cares.
What better way to die than an act of God?
but if it is so so unlikely, and if the number of people killed is small -- who cares.
What better way to die than an act of God?
42
Hm.. I think I rode that ride at Universal studios..
and I want to point out that the bad guy in this movie, other than the caption pausing, is the seawall, not the viaduct...
digging a hole doesnt help the seawall... and are they really going to screw up the tourist traps and businesses to put in a better seawall?
and I want to point out that the bad guy in this movie, other than the caption pausing, is the seawall, not the viaduct...
digging a hole doesnt help the seawall... and are they really going to screw up the tourist traps and businesses to put in a better seawall?
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