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Tuesday, March 13, 2007

In the WaPo: The Viaduct

posted by on March 13 at 11:15 AM

The Washington Post has a good summary of the viaduct debate and what it calls today’s “weirdly constructed” ballot. (Don’t forget to send in your ballot for today’s all-mail election! How I voted: No and no.) Deputy mayor Tim Ceis on the surface/transit option: “I think it’s gaining momentum in a lot of people’s minds.” Especially after tonight, when most political analysts predict voters will reject both options.

RSS icon Comments

1

A question for surface supporters: assuming both ballot measures tank tonight, are you willing to have the surface option go on the ballot? Say, in the August Primary, after allowing 4 months to develop a plan?

It’s polled in the 10-15% range, so I suspect I know the answer.

Posted by Blob | March 13, 2007 11:52 AM
2

Right ECB; Ceis, Chopp, Summers, Gregoire, heck everyone is really a S&T supporter and by June we will be tearing it down.

“I think it’s gaining momentum in a lot of people’s minds.” Is that supposed to mean something - how does something gain momentum in a mind?

Anyway let's bet. I say we will keep repairing the viaduct until we figure out what to do and you say that we will just tear it down, right? So if I win you move to Milwaukee and if you win I have to move to NY or Copenhagen cause they have waterfronts rated lower than ours.

Posted by Sherwin | March 13, 2007 12:16 PM
3

Sherwin,

They will in fact Repair it but they will call it a "Rebuild" in order to save face.

So we will get the worst of both worlds -- spending $2 billion on a Repair.

Thanks, ECB, for contributing to the confusion.

Posted by City Comforts | March 13, 2007 12:47 PM
4

I just wish the dang gummint would fecking get on with it and study the S&T options, prices, and timetables. If a city is serious about a change then ALL the options should be examined; not some prematurely shut out, and then mocked. We're not in highschool anymore, people.

There's plenty of examples of successful viaduct removal in big cities-- etc. etc. Yes, we have a screwy geography, but so does Vancouver BC and they have dandy transit and lots of growth. Why are our leaders shy about taking a serious and honest look at the S&T option? It boggles the mind.

Posted by treacle | March 13, 2007 12:52 PM
5

As I was saying at coffee this morning, in the end, I doubt people realize that the Surface version actually will be more like Aurora Ave (99) and less like the Champs Elysees in Paris.

But it will end up being Rebuilt.

Please don't moan about it tomorrow, ok? Move on, and realize we have to start getting MUCH more serious about DOUBLE LOCAL TRANSIT. No, congestion won't improve. Those days are gone.

And I'm looking forward to the double-track streetcar underneath, which will improve tourist usage of the actual waterfront, sculpture garden, and our historic sites.

It may not be like the streetcars they are building in Nantes, Bourdeaux, and Nice, but it's better than the previous version.

Posted by Will in Seattle | March 13, 2007 12:54 PM
6

@1: A future ballot measure over an actual, studied plan? Sure, why not?

But let's come up with real options to vote on. Not ones that justify future political decisions, ignore our need for increased transportation choices, or are giveaways for developers.

Maybe it's not just a simple Streets + Transit option. But what if actually thinking about maintaining commuter capacity, rather than just vehicle capacity, allowed for a better boulevard and a smaller viaduct? How about more transit and a safer tunnel?

I'm still an S+T supporter myself, but I think everyone should vote "No and HELL NO" because the two options on the table are a bad tunnel and a bad rebuild. That's not being indecisive, that's telling our government to get their heads screwed on straight!

Posted by Mickymse | March 13, 2007 1:01 PM
7

Repair it, tear it down, tunnel it, but please don't rebuild a larger version.

I think a strong vote against the rebuild will surprise tonight

Posted by flotown | March 13, 2007 1:47 PM
8

as a Surface Solution supporter, i fully expect the cheap ass faux populists of seattle to choose the rebuild.

Repair & Prepare is a recipe for doing nothing, which is what we do best:

1. Monorail
2. Commons

Posted by Max Solomon | March 13, 2007 2:33 PM
9

I'm famous; i've been quoted in the seattle times:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003615971_webvoters13.html

Posted by michael strangeways | March 13, 2007 4:09 PM
10

That's nothing, I had coffee with a Times columnist this morning and the PI Ed Board is next in line. Good to know your last name, though ... say hi to Mickymse he's a Micheal too.

Posted by Will in Seattle | March 13, 2007 4:33 PM

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