Photo: Bertha

The already-strange story of the mystery object blocking Bertha the tunnel boring machine got slightly weirder Monday when WSDOT told reporters that despite dropping several probes into the area directly in front of the stalled drill, "we're not hitting anything unexpected."

That doesn't jibe with the popular theory that a massive boulder is blocking Bertha. In the meantime, the team continues to drain groundwater, which also happens to be causing the Alaskan Way Viaduct to sink ever so slightly, to get a better view of the soil in front of the drill and find an answer.

Meanwhile, SLOG wants to remind Seattlites who is on the hook to pay for any overages and overruns if the tunnel isn't finished under the initial schedule.

We are.

Some officials are saying the clause is legally unenforceable, but, it's still in the agreement all the same.

· What The Hell Did Bertha Run Into Below Seattle? [Curbed Seattle]

· Lots of poking but no answers on what's blocking 99 tunnel drill [Seattle Times]

· Work around Bertha causes viaduct to sink slightly [NWCN]

· With Bertha Stuck Underground, the Cost-Overrun Debate Resurfaces [SLOG]

· All Bertha coverage [Curbed Seattle]