Comments

1
Aaand Will in Seattle posts something pithy and illogical about the Billionaire's Tunnel in 3...2...1...
2
I was among the group polled, and I honestly thought it was a push poll, not something done by the state.
3
In the same vain?
4
So present support is a lukewarm 42% (down a few points from the last poll) and WSDOT relies on push polling. Got it.

When you build false consensus, it's easy to turn around and blame the voters when things go wrong.
5
I was among the group polled, and I honestly thought it was a push poll, not something done by the state.


It can be both these things at once.

Surprise! The state is screwing you.
6
I too was called to participate in this poll. About halfway thru the poll it became apparent by the questions this was a push-poll. I stopped the questioner and told the gentleman that I no longer wanted to participate based on the questioning.

This entire process dealing with this issue over the last eight-nine years has certainly left me with strong doubts and concerns about WSDOT's credibility. I simply don't trust what they are doing.

7
Did you know that tunnels, while great for cars, are not a contributor to erectile dysfunction? Wouldn't that make you "for" a tunnel?


8
Could you make an addition to your election endorsements telling us how to vote in a way that maximally screws the state, but maximally helps the city of Seattle? I'm tired of bozos in Olympia spending money trying to ram this tunnel down our throats. I'd much rather have Mike McGinn spending my tax dollars than Chris Gregoire.
9
So when pollers are told about the negative aspects of the tunnel, they decide against the tunnel. Its considered to be a scientific non biased poll, a mandate by the people.

However, when pollers are told about the positive aspects of the tunnel, most are in favor of it. Its considered a biased push poll and a waste of 60k.

Sounds like both polls are BS and were back to step 1, demonizing road projects.
10
The only people who changed their vote were the undecideds. You can't trust those wishy-washy bastards.
11
The legislature that voted in the tunnel's been delighted to let McGinn's campaign aim its fire solely at easy target WSDOT. I hope this stupid poll doesn't signal that agency's thinking it can match the mayoral team's constant messaging hum given his folks' depth of PR experience - there's nothing WSDOT can (or needs to) gain at that level against his happy warriors.
12
@2, you were push polled. This is the very definition of a push poll, regardless of who paid for it.

Well, at least the state DOT now knows how to pimp the idea and shift some of the undecideds their way.
13
I hope the lawsuits actually humiliate and shame people all the way from our city council to WSDOT to the Governor's office. Bring 'em on.
14
Can someone explain to me how exactly WSDOT is doing its job by spending $60K of taxpayer money on a political poll--never mind that it's a push poll?

Imagine if the Obama administration, on the taxpayer dime, was calling up voters around the country asking questions like, "Are you aware that under President George W. Bush a sizeable federal surplus became a massive federal deficit?" We'd never hear the end of that, and rightly so.
15
Can The Stranger pay for a poll? I'm sure you could get one done for less than $60,000.

"Were you aware there are other options to replace the viaduct, more quickly, with more capacity than the tunnel, for over $1 billion less?"

"Were you aware the tunnel will have $3.50-$4.00 tolls each way?"

"Were you aware the tunnel has no exits into downtown Seattle?"

"Were you aware that WSDOT is building a new surface highway boulevard where the viaduct sits now, permanently cutting off downtown from the waterfront?"

"Were you aware that only 7 acres of open space will be opened up by the tunnel and boulevard, less than either the surface or rebuild options?"

"Were you aware that the average Seattle citizen will pay $1500 in taxes for the tunnel, not including state or federal taxes, and as much as $3000 per person more for overruns?"

"Were you aware that the City of Seattle has serious concerns about the environmental impact of the tunnel, and the Seartle department of transportation and executive branch refused to sign the tunnel environmental impact statement?"

"Were you aware the tunnel will delay the governor's promise of closing the viaduct by 2012?"

"Were you aware the surface couplet option increases the transportation capacity of goods and people, while the tunnel decreases capacity?"

"Were you aware that a worker died less than a month ago on a similar deep bore tunnel project in New Jersey?"

"Were you aware that the tunnel is a really shitty project, and out-of-state contracting companies are the only ones who will profit?"
16
@12, yes I know. That's why I posted the comment.
17
Push polls suck, but so do journalists who push discredited and fake statistics in their opposition.
18
See, and I even waited.

Nobody in this poll was told they would be paying $10,000 per household PLUS $5 to $10 tolls each way for this deeply boring tunnel.

If they had been, support would have dropped to 12 percent.
19
Now, as to the mistruths they "pushed":

Lie #1 "Were you aware or not that rebuilding Alaskan Way without the viaduct will improve the health of Puget Sound by capturing and cleaning up contaminated storm water that currently drains off the viaduct and directly into the Sound."

Actually, building the deep bore tunnel will put multiple endangered species of fish, newly listed, at risk. It will also literally DOUBLE the particulate emissions, kill more fish directly (since hydro power is used to power the 24/7/365 fans and pumps for the tunnel), and cause King County to go into violation for both Particulate Emissions and Carbon Emissions (two EPA regs that were just finalized).

Misdirection #2: "Were you aware or not that the bored tunnel is the only viaduct replacement option that keeps the existing viaduct open to traffic during construction, meaning there will be no interruption for people who rely on the viaduct to get around."

Unless you live or work or drive thru the areas used for staging or are in one of the buildings that will have a drill bit stuck under them when it mysteriously stops working - as so very frequently happens with deep bore tunnels in glacial till mixed with previously razed waterfront structures in an area filled with native use and probably stopped while excavated by Native teams when we find local artifacts from our past there.

LIE #3:"Two thirds of Viaduct traffic passes through Seattle for some other destination. The bored tunnel maintains capacity for these trips which are critical for local businesses and commercial traffic."

Actually, WSDOT and SDOT both have released figures showing the deep bore tunnel will literally have HALF the freight capacity of the existing viaduct and HALF the capacity of the two alternatives of a Surface Plus Transit and a Rebuilt Viaduct. In addition, without taking into account the toll-avoidance by car drivers when the $5 to $10 tolls are in place, WSDOT estimates AT LEAST 50,000 more cars will be diverted onto Seattle downtown arterials due to the tunnel not having enough capacity.

It is a boondoggle. And a very badly advised one at that.

Please wait...

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