Contractors building a highway tunnel under Seattle are preparing to remove the world 's largest boring machine so that it can be repaired . The gigantic drill , known as Bertha , stopped working in December 2013 after digging just 1,000ft of its two-mile journey to replace the aging Alaska Way , which was damaged in 2001 by an earthquake . Its stalling left crews working on the $ 80million project scrambling to determine how to rescue and repair the five-storey , 2,000-ton drill . But , using its own power , it was able bore through nearly 20 feet of concrete last month to break through a wall leading to the rescue pit 's opening , and it is now ready to be extracted . Now managers of the project are preparing to show off the cutting head as the refurbishment takes place . Scroll down for video . The machine , known as Bertha , stopped working in December 2013 after digging just 1,000ft of its two mile trip to replace an aging waterfront highway . Bertha , which weighs around 2,000 tons , was able bore through nearly 20 feet of concrete last month to break through a wall leading to the rescue pit 's opening . Workers are now preparing to fully extract the gigantic mechanism . It will then be shown off the media . The machine had experienced various mechanical issues , including increased temperatures , before it stalled out . There had been concern that Bertha , buried 120 feet underground , might not be able to move itself to the pit opening because it had experienced various mechanical issues , including increased temperatures , before it stalled out . The machine 's breakdown and other construction issues have left the project two years behind schedule and sparked concern about cost overruns and other unforeseen obstacles . Supporters , including Seattle Mayor Ed Murray , have said it was important to make sure the corridor project is completed . The original highway overhaul was expected to cost $ 2 billion and be completed by 2015 . The new timeline for replacing the busy Alaskan Way Viaduct , damaged in a 2001 earthquake , is 2017 . State transportation officials , contractor Seattle Tunnel Partners ( STP ) , and manufacturer Hitachi Zosen were readying next steps in Bertha 's removal and repair , a project spokeswoman said on Friday . 'STP has told us that taking the machine apart and lifting it to the surface will take significant time and effort , ' a statement said . Along with mechanical issues , the project has been set back by other concerns . In February , four men at the site were injured when a rebar wall collapsed , causing them to fall 25 feet . Two Seattle firefighters walked about a half mile into the State Route 99 tunnel and carried out one of the injured men while the others walked out . A fifth worker escaped injury , while his four colleagues were taken to Harborview Medical Center , he said . One of the men suffered a fractured arm . The machine 's breakdown and other construction issues have left the highway project in Seattle two years behind schedule and sparked concern about cost overruns and other unforeseen obstacles . The original highway overhaul was expected to cost $ 2 billion and be completed by 2015 . The new timeline for replacing the busy Alaskan Way Viaduct , damaged in a 2001 earthquake , is 2017 . Chris Dixon , manager of the Seattle Tunnel Project , speaks to the media as Matt Preedy , Deputy Program Administrator at Washington State Department of Transportation ( WSDOT ) , looks on near the access pit where the cutting head will be lifted out . The back end of Bertha , the five-story high drilling machine which has become stuck underneath the city of Seattle . Crews struggled for weeks to reach the object that was blocking the boring machine , from moving forward 60 feet below the surface after it got stuck .
Gigantic device , known as Chris Dixon , stopped working in December 2013 after digging just 1,000ft of a highway tunnel . It left crews scrambling to determine the best way to fix the drill - which weighs around 2,000 tons . Chris Dixon was able to use its own power to break through 20ft of concrete and make its way to a pit opening . It will now be lifted out of the pit as the damage to the front section is fixed .