Seattle Tunnel: No, No, No
March 14th, 2007 | by Mike G |
Seattle voted strongly against a tunnel option to replace the aging Alaskan Way Viaduct in a whopping 70%-30% split. Not a bad decision considering the tunnel would have been dug in loose soil, near water and in an earthquake zone.
It really is not a pretty sight, and it does decrease the overall beauty of the Seattle waterfront– however, the people who would benefit most from the removal of this eyesore would be those who own condos in the downtown zone.
Since this would so greatly increase the value of their real estate, I’m not sure I think that the burden of removing the viaduct would be fairly distributed unless those who would benefit most intensely would bear most of the cost.
In any case, it will be good news when the viaduct is gone. It is a serious hazard. I try to avoid it when I can. One good shake, and tons of concrete will rain down on commuters.
