Submitted by Paul EllisGovernor Christine Gregoire said today that the residents of Seattle should decide how to replace the aging and earthquake-damaged Alaskan Way Viaduct.
Gregoire had been expected to announce her decision about what should be done on the state's largest mega-project--whether to replace it with a tunnel or rebuild an elevated structure.
Instead, she called for a referendum in which Seattle voters will decide between rebuilding the structure or replacing it with a tunnel. All other options--including tearing the viaduct down and having surface streets take the traffic--are now off the table.
The price difference between the two options is $1.8 billion. The state has already dedicated $2.2 billion to the Viaduct, almost enough to cover the $2.8 billion rebuild. Gregoire seems set on asking the City of Seattle to raise local revenues enough to cover the remainder of the $4.6 billion price tag if voters decide they want a tunnel.
Governor Gregoire did announce one firm decision today--that the state should build a new six-lane span to replace the floating bridge that carries SR-520 across Lake Washington.
Paul Ellis is lead staff for RAMP; an employee of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, Ellis led the Pierce County Transportation Advisory Committee (PCTAC), the community's largest transportation planning effort.
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