1 7 , ▁and ▁the ▁finished ▁tunnel ▁opened ▁to ▁traffic ▁on ▁February ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁Most ▁of ▁Ber tha ' s ▁components ▁are ▁not ▁re usable , ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁steel ▁mach in ery ▁on ▁the ▁cut ter head ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁m elt ed ▁and ▁rec yc led . ▁The ▁final , ▁dis ass emble d ▁pieces ▁of ▁Ber tha ▁were ▁removed ▁from ▁the ▁tunnel ▁portal ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁Zone ▁adv ancement ▁Ber tha ' s ▁dig ging ▁route ▁has ▁been ▁divided ▁into ▁ 1 0 ▁zones , ▁representing ▁different ▁types ▁of ▁soil ▁or ▁progress ▁under ▁city ▁land marks . ▁ ▁Cont ro vers y ▁▁ ▁The ▁two - year ▁sto pp age ▁of ▁Ber tha ▁has ▁been ▁critic ized ▁as ▁an ▁example ▁of ▁a ▁political ▁bo ond oggle ▁by ▁oppon ents . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁two ▁Republican ▁state ▁sen ators ▁introduced ▁a ▁bill ▁in ▁the ▁Washington ▁State ▁Legisl ature ▁to ▁kill ▁the ▁project , ▁cit ing ▁Ber tha ▁and ▁its ▁delay ▁in ▁particular . ▁The ▁bill ▁was ▁never ▁heard ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁sen ate ▁and ▁failed ▁to ▁pass ▁the ▁Senate ▁Transport ation ▁Committee . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Beck ▁tunnel ▁b oring ▁machine ▁— ▁former ▁world ' s ▁largest ▁tunnel ▁b oring ▁machine , ▁prior ▁to ▁Ber tha ▁ ▁T uen ▁Mun ▁- ▁Che k ▁Lap ▁K ok ▁T B M ▁— ▁current ▁world ' s ▁largest , ▁succeed ing ▁Ber tha