How Milbank Enclosed Controls Helped Power Seattle’s Viaduct Rebuild

When Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct was severely damaged during the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, it marked the beginning of a long journey toward infrastructure transformation.

The double-decker freeway was eventually demolished in 2019, making way for a new chapter in Seattle’s urban development, one that reimagined the waterfront and reconnected the city to its shoreline. One of the challenges in completing this project was finding utility-approved power distribution cabinets for Seattle.

Behind the scenes of this major civic overhaul is a network of manufacturers, engineers, contractors, and electrical professionals who made the project possible. Milbank Enclosed Controls played a vital role by delivering customized cabinets tailored to the project’s unique infrastructure needs.

Keep reading to learn more about how Milbank Enclosed Controls supported Seattle’s viaduct rebuild.

 

Milbank was brought into the project through our trusted Manufacturer’s Representative, Hozack, Inc., who led the charge in sourcing reliable, scalable power distribution solutions for city rebuild projects.

Recognizing that the project would require something beyond standard offerings, Hozack worked with our Enclosed Controls Team to develop approximately 30 custom units that met the city’s exact needs. The ask: a weather-resistant electrical enclosure, like Milbank’s CP3D unit, without rear entry and with specialized breaker configurations, demonstrating how one small change in componentry can drive an entirely new design approach.
 

Originally designed as a data cabinet, Milbank’s CP3D has evolved into one of our most versatile enclosed control platforms. Ideal for everything from concert venues to large-scale recreational facilities, the CP3D was an ideal starting point for utility-approved power distribution cabinets for Seattle.

The customized CP3D units developed for Seattle featured:

• No rear entry (a vital spec for limited installation spaces).
• A modified breaker layout for project-specific load control.
• Rugged enclosure design with metered and unmetered capabilities (up to 400A metered / 800A unmetered).
• 19-inch-wide equipment rack with designated battery trays.
• Optional service shelving for streamlined organization.
• Voltage flexibility to accommodate evolving site conditions.

These features allowed city planners and contractors to maintain control over a complex and shifting build site without compromising on safety or long-term accessibility.

"The Seattle Waterfront design is a prime example of Milbank's ability to deliver custom power distribution cabinets for a wide range of electrical applications.  Our compact, all-in-one design can be customized using steel, aluminum or stainless steel for areas affected by harsher climates.  When it comes to customization, Milbank keeps the needs of customers at the forefront, ensuring each design solution meets or exceeds expectations," Mindy Dohrman, Product Manager, Enclosed Controls.
 

Milbank Enclosed Controls Do the Heavy Lifting

What makes the CP3D platform uniquely suited for high-stakes infrastructure projects is its customization potential. Designed with internal flexibility in mind, the cabinet allows engineers to optimize space, manage thermal loads, and improve cable routing while meeting the performance standards of mission-critical applications.

In the case of Seattle’s viaduct rebuild, that meant delivering weather-resistant electrical enclosures that could:

• Support the city’s long-term plans for sustainable development.
• Fit within existing site constraints.
• Enable safe, code-compliant installations for municipal contractors.

 

The new waterfront district in Seattle is still taking shape, with pedestrian plazas, green space, and multi-modal transit all rising in place of what was once a concrete freeway. But powering all of that progress are the electrical systems that few people ever see, and that’s where Milbank takes pride in our work.

Our commitment to innovation, reliability, and partnership doesn’t stop once a cabinet is built. It continues with every service call, every spec update, and every opportunity to help our partners do what they do best.
 

If you’d like more information about how our Enclosed Controls can help streamline infrastructure projects in your community with custom power distribution cabinets, reach out to our team.

Need help with a project in the Pacific Northwest? Our partners at Hozack, Inc. are your go-to experts and trusted Milbank partners.

From powering iconic projects like Seattle’s viaduct rebuild to helping contractors stay on schedule across the country, our solutions are engineered for what’s next.