National Register of Historic Places

Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel

Seattle, King County, Washington
Listed
July 15, 1982
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82004243

About this property

The Mount Baker Tunnel or Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel carries Interstate 90 and Link light rail's 2 Line under the Mount Baker neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. It is actually a group of three tubes (or four—if counting the two original Mount Baker Tunnels separately) that carry eight lanes of freeway traffic, plus a separate path for bicycles and pedestrians, and two tracks for Link light rail. The original tubes are twin tunnel bores completed in 1940 and rehabilitated in 1993. The new Mount Baker Tunnel was built north of the original tunnels and opened in June 1989. The tunnel has a double-decked roadway with the bicycle/pedestrian path above the traffic lanes. The tunnel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 (ID #82004243). The east portals of the tunnel, with murals titled Portal of the North Pacific designed by artist James FitzGerald, along with the Lacey V. Murrow Bridge, are an official City of Seattle landmark. The official length is 1,440 feet (440 m), though the perceived length while driving is closer to 3,300 feet (1,000 m) because of a cut-and-cover "lid" between the western portal and the beginning of the actual tunnel under the Mount Baker ridge. The former west portal, now located well inside the tunnel, is no longer discernible and its two arch structures were removed during 1989–1993 modification work. The eastern end of the tunnel links to the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge and the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge (collectively the I-90 floating bridge) on Lake Washington, to Mercer Island. At 63 feet (19 m) in diameter, it is the world's largest diameter soft earth tunnel, having been bored through clay.

Location

Seattle, King County, Washington
47.59004, -122.29446

Categories

ENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel

This page lists Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Thompson, Will H., House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Dose, Charles P. and Ida, House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Storey, Ellsworth, Cottages Historic District
Listed
0.3 mi
Ronald, Judge James T., House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Bowles, Jesse C., House
Industrial
0.8 mi

Nearby Battles

Puget Sound War — Battle of Seattle (January 26, 1856)
1856Indian Wars
2.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel listed on the National Register?

Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 15, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel?

Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel?

The period of significance for Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in King County

Historic places, battles, and census history across King County.

Explore KingCounty ›

More historic places in Washington

Browse all historic places in Washington.

View Washingtonhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Washington history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Washingtonhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Mount Baker Ridge Tunnel will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report