January 14, 2002August 2, 2026

GeoSyntec Comments on Geotechnical Summary Report, Third Runway Embankment Fill and West MSE Wall, Seattle Tacoma International Airport Project

Notes

Attorney Kevin Stock of Helsell Fetterman transmits GeoSyntec Consultants’ technical comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding Hart Crowser’s November 2001 Geotechnical Summary Report for the Port of Seattle’s Third Runway project. GeoSyntec identifies that the Port has radically changed its construction approach, opting for excavation of up to three million cubic yards instead of in situ ground improvement, with potential significant impacts to Miller Creek and adjacent wetlands. The letter urges the Corps to scrutinize these changes in light of Clean Water Act implications and notes continuing technical deficiencies in seismic loading and MSE wall design analyses.

Sidebar On/Off

As the source for federal transportation grants, the Puget Sound Regional Council was charged with developing a system to meet the growing need for commercial aviation. When the search for a second airport failed, they authorized the Port of Seattle to build the Third Runway, with a mandate to develop a noise abatement and mitigation program. In their effort to stop the Third Runway, the ACC argued over every detail of the Port's efforts--including property buyouts and sound insulation. The dispute was meant to be settled by a three member Expert Arbitration Panel. This is their final report. It finds 2-1, that the Port's program was insufficient in several respects. Despite that, funding for the Third Runway was approved by the PSRC, and the 'Port Package' program, proceeded largely unchanged. Expert Arbitration Panel's final decision finding that the Port of Seattle had not shown sufficient reduction in real on-the-ground noise impacts to satisfy noise reduction conditions required for approval of a third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport. The majority decision concluded the Port's noise abatement programs were insufficient despite being impressive in scope.

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