Tunnel project could push rats, roaches into Seattle buildings
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SEATTLE -- Seattle's Alaskan Way viaduct tunnel project threatens to create an unpleasant spillover effect, and one that just might make your skin crawl.
Millions of rodents and roaches have lived underground long before construction on the tunnel started. As the Puget Sound Business Journal first reported, when the giant boring machine goes to work next year, pest control experts say those critters will scurry in search of quieter lodging.
"What's the next best place? It's in all the buildings in the city," said Shane Hartnett of Sprague Pest Solutions.
Sprague is launching a campaign urging business owners near the waterfront to start protecting themselves now. The company is using bike billboards that say, "Save your building: Ratpocalypse is coming."
Even without the ads, residents in the area know how serious an infestation could be.
"People can get bitten, can get rabies," said resident Regina Boyd.
And it's not just about health concerns, either. The prospect of having rats running through the streets won't be good for business.
"If they're out here drinking a beer and there are rats running around on the ground, yeah, that would kind of bother me some," Boyd said.
That scenario has happened before. Hartnett said when the Kingdome was demolished 12-years ago it caused a spike in rodent and roach infestations in the surrounding buildings.
The tunnel boring will last more than a year and a half, which will give pests a lot of time to settle into new homes if the building owners don't take precautions.
"It can affect one building, it can affect a whole block, and it can affect, in this case, the entire waterfront of the city," Hartnett said.
Millions of rodents and roaches have lived underground long before construction on the tunnel started. As the Puget Sound Business Journal first reported, when the giant boring machine goes to work next year, pest control experts say those critters will scurry in search of quieter lodging.
"What's the next best place? It's in all the buildings in the city," said Shane Hartnett of Sprague Pest Solutions.
Sprague is launching a campaign urging business owners near the waterfront to start protecting themselves now. The company is using bike billboards that say, "Save your building: Ratpocalypse is coming."
Even without the ads, residents in the area know how serious an infestation could be.
"People can get bitten, can get rabies," said resident Regina Boyd.
And it's not just about health concerns, either. The prospect of having rats running through the streets won't be good for business.
"If they're out here drinking a beer and there are rats running around on the ground, yeah, that would kind of bother me some," Boyd said.
That scenario has happened before. Hartnett said when the Kingdome was demolished 12-years ago it caused a spike in rodent and roach infestations in the surrounding buildings.
The tunnel boring will last more than a year and a half, which will give pests a lot of time to settle into new homes if the building owners don't take precautions.
"It can affect one building, it can affect a whole block, and it can affect, in this case, the entire waterfront of the city," Hartnett said.
It's already happening. They hang out at 4th & Pine every morning.
Tunnel project could push rats, roaches into Seattle buildings"
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And here I thought the mayor and city council all ready had their own building.
Isn't there any way to take out as many rats as possible BEFORE they start the tunneling?
Were these needed measures factored into the tunnel costs?
The city is already a filth hole. Who would notice or care. Glad I don't live anywhere near it.
people seem to do fine eating around squirrels, whats the difference?
Just a quickie 5 second clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WymMLwNiP9A
How do they suppose this will happen? I thought all of the rats were in olympia?
From what I understand Seattle is already full of rats and cockroaches
A little off subject, but the thing that really pisses me off about this whole thing is that they went with a tunnel boring machine (TBM) supplier from JAPAN!!! We have two of the best tunnel boring machine suppliers in the world right here in Washington. Instead of keeping that revenue here locally (millions of dollars worth), it was sent overseas -- stupid!!!
@The WA Mama Its called globalization. The economy is global now, its been this way for over a decade now, there is nothing new about this
@northwestsurfer Yeah but that doesn't make it right, especially given the state of our economy right now. Special consideration on where the equipment came from should have been made in this instance. Buy the equipment from here and the dollars could stay in our state. Help boost the economy, even if it's just a little. And the fact that Gregoire gave it to Japan instead of a company on home turf is just despicable.
 @Tattooed_Angel It sucks but its a way of doing business now. I don't agree with it either, but when its cheaper to buy a tunneling machine, ship, assemble and operate from over seas to Seattle, that should be a pretty good indication, why we are trading apples and cherries for heavey equipment and maybe not getting the better deal..
@The WA Mama
It is probably because the two local companies wanted too much money? That is why we have open bidding for this type of work. There have been plenty of times when our company got work in other states (and countries) where we had direct competition. There is no reason a company should get work just because of its address. It is a global economy now.
@just_sayin68 "It is a global economy now." Actually, the more succesful economies are not so global. See how successful its worked out here?
@The WA Mama
Thatâs because Japan is our âsister stateâ, and Gregior finds the need to do equal trading with them. We send them apples and they send us a tunneling machine. Its not right, but its how it works unfortunately. I guess you could relate it to the whole apples and oranges thing.
Dang, going to give the druggies, drunks and homeless in Seattle some competition...
Space Needle here I come!!! HA!
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Besides out in the farm I use these for the little (and bigger) buggers. Gotta kill 'em as they breed litters and they will return to where this is food and a nice comfy warm place to live.
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http://www.amazon.com/Motomco-Tomcat-Snap-Trap-33525/dp/B001AZJK46
I just donât understand the story. Why would the tunnel drilling cause the rats and roaches from Olympia to occupy homes in businesses in Seattle? Weirdâ¦
The rats in Seattle are much smaller, less destructive than the ones in Olympia. Don't get the two confusted.
@responsible adult? The common rats that infest cities such as Seattle are known as Norwegian rats; the ones in the state capitol are called Olympian rats
What are the rats called in "rat city"? ;-)
@responsible adult? No I didn't have them confused, but thanks for the clarification.Â
 @Kodiak LOL, what did I miss?
"People can get bitten, can get rabies," said resident Regina Boyd.
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Wow. Go off the deep end much?
 @tats76 KOMO left out the other part of her comment which is "Has anybody watched the movie, "Willard? My point exactly!"
What a crock! although I give Sprague an A for the marketing ploy, but there has been constant construction downtown for years! I can't believe people are taking the "bait", no pun intended! Nice of KOMO to give Sprague FREE advertising, must be a slow news day
 @TheREALtruth KUOW did it too, heard this while getting breakfast a few moments ago. I thought the same thing.The radio report mentioned a history of infestation during construction of 99 and the Kingdome. I thought that I'd like to hear or see the evidence for that.
Seattle, You already have rats and cockroaches in the buildings. Â They are called your mayor and city council.
Rats are not just a disease threat but can cause extensive (and expensive) damage with their chewing. Because their teeth are continually growing they have a need to constantly gnaw to keep them from getting too long. Looks like we could use some more predators (cats, raptors) to keep them in check.
I think the pest control company is just looking to cash in on a "possibility" by creating paranoia. Â Rabies? Â There hasn't been a recorded case of rabies in the Seattle area since the late 1970's. Â What everyone should be worried about is the bubonic plague. Â A guy in Oregon was hospitalized with it because he was bitten by his cat that was infected by a mouse, subsequently, the cat died, and the guy I believe has lost fingers and toes. Â And a 7 year old girl who contracted it from a dead squirrel. Â
 @Missfitt That's the first thing I thought of! I was teasing my neighbor to get rid of the rats we discovered or we might get the plague. Sure enough that man in Portland was on the news the next day. The mouse was stuck in his cat's throat, when he pulled it out a flea bit him and transmitted it to him. Sad. Most of the cases are strangely isolated to the Pacific Northwest, something like 6 to 9 cases a year here. Not that I'm freaking out about it, it just came to mind also.
 @Missfitt First thought I had while hearing this story on the radio: Well, of course the pest control company is urging businesses to take a preemptive strike against rodents/bugs, because then, when none show up, the pest control company can say "Look, it worked!"
Gee. Maybe we should've been more focused on the issues of this project instead of wasting time on the Sonics arena!
So what?! Â They need to be exterminated anyway!
If you know the vermin are coming.... prepare traps for them.... same as two legged vermin..... easy to out smart ....
dont kill rats or trap them. They were there first. Make Love not war ;)
@AverageJoe Oh, whatever! Do you know how many diseases rats carry? Did you hear about the man in Oregon who got the plague trying to rescue a rat from being eaten by a cat? Go ahead and try to save as many as you can... just make sure you havegood health and life insurance!
@AverageJoe yeah right... all alleys in seattle now have the rat poisen stations. I'm sure all will be ok
The rats & roaches are already there.......County Executive's & Mayors office, County & City Council Chambers....no news here,
Can we all hold hands and sing "BEN"?
HALT!
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Time for a new study.
 @bobalouie ...but only if the study costs no less than $1.42 million dollars....gotta make sure it's done correctly....lots of unemployed union clipboard holders out there.
I've seen what looked like baby rats running around up here outside last night. Â (Capitol Hill)
Don't worry, they were probably just Obama supporters.
 @HonkeyCat with as many babies as rats have, I'd say they were Mormon's running for office.
Grosss!!! Â Curious if there is another "boring" project going on in the Puget Sound area. that "vashon hum" has been really bad lately, and seems like that could cause it.
Ew, Ew, EW!
Gross! Â Luckily my building will probably just cave in when they start digging the tunnel.... Â
@JusticeSeeker        Gee, that sounds so much better!
Yeah, instead of bringing the rats to the surface to join you, you can crash their party.