The first of six projects to repair or replace more than half of the Alaskan Way Viaduct will start next month.

C.A. Carey Corp. has been awarded the contract to strengthen the viaduct between Columbia Street and Yesler Way where the structure has settled approximately five inches since the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. C.A. Carey submitted the lowest bid of $3.02 million. Work will begin in mid-October. No work will take place between Nov. 22 and Jan. 1 because of the holidays.

The foundation work is expected to take six months to complete. No viaduct lane closures will be required during the project. Repairs involve strengthening the existing structural footings by drilling a series of steel rods, called micropiles, into the stable ground that lies beneath the fill soil upon which the viaduct rests. These micropiles are each able to carry a 95-ton load and will make a wider and stronger column foundation, preventing further settlement in this area.

"These repairs are part of our overall plan to keep drivers safe on the viaduct, and to take down or repair more than half of the structure by 2012," said Ron Paananen, Washington State Department of Transportation program director.

State transportation crews conduct visual inspections every three months to monitor the viaduct's condition. The viaduct is closed for inspections and repairs every six months, with the next one scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 13-14.