Sound Politics: Million Dollar Bash

February 19, 2007

Million Dollar Bash

Mrs. Gregoire reconfirms that the $1 million Viaduct advisory ballot being held at her insistence is totally pointless:

Calls to reconsider a surface street and transit option for replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct have not swayed [Mrs.] Gregoire, who on Monday refused to back away from her position that the state must commence the new elevated highway.

"Today, there is no viable option other than an elevated structure," Gregoire said. "I know people don't necessarily like the elevated structure, I appreciate and respect that, but the fact of the matter is we cannot do nothing."

Yesterday's Times analyzes how the politicos will try to spin the various possible outcomes.

Personally, I favor a retrofit or a rebuild, in that order. A double NO victory will be spun as an endorsement of the surface-gridlock option. The tunnel is already DOA, so I'm contemplating a YES on both.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at February 19, 2007 04:25 PM | Email This

Comments

1. "We can not do nothing..." Interesting as I supsect NOTHING is exactly what we will see over the next years. Nothing to show for the gas tax which we were all sold on because if we didn't the viaduct would crumble.

Actually there will be quite a show put on over the next few years. We will see The Queen and Mayor McCheese continue to argue and debate this out in court when the Mayor refuses to issue permits for the elevated structure. That will play out endlessly in the court system and still....NO VIADUCT.

Let them keep it up. It will only further the case for tossing the Queen out and voting for Rossi.

Posted by: mimi on February 19, 2007 04:43 PM

2. Of course what will happen is that the monies collected in the 9.5 cent gas tax will all end up going to cover the court costs, by way of claiming that the money is being used on a transportation issue, and they will come back to us when this mess is finally finished and demand even higher gas taxes to pay for the viaduct and all the other transportation issues the original 9.5 cent tax was supposed to partially cover.

Posted by: TrueSoldier on February 19, 2007 08:32 PM

3. No, No, No! Vote NO on both alternatives. Help discourage all this traffic going through (not to) Seattle. Possibly also, it will discourage the politicians like the Pseudogovernor from stealing more of #our# money.

Posted by: JB on February 20, 2007 12:34 AM

4. I say vote "No,No" because voting "Yes, Yes" gives tacit support to both of the lousy choices.

"No, No" means start over. It will not mean that on March 14 the "surface option" suddenly prevails.

"No, No" means "delay, delay". If we are lucky, an endless delay.

My preference is DO NOTHING and it is supported by the survival of 2000 year old Roman, re-bar free, viaducts and aquaducts throughout the tectonic zones in southern europe. Google roman bridges. You can't imagine the effort and noise associated with bringing the re-bar laced viaduct down.

Well deliberated retrofit is my second choice.

Why has the "State of Emergency" mentality invaded every issue we face? Schools, viaducts, global warming? When will we learn to stand back and think?

During the next big quake, finding one's self under the viaduct might be better than being in the brick and glass storm of downtown.

Posted by: Bart Cannon on February 20, 2007 02:45 AM

5. Bart, some of the columns do need repair since the rebar is exposed in spots.

But, you have to vote no. Once the other two options are out, then it is a battle between the street option and the retrofit. Those supporting the tunnel or replacement option will obviously go to the retrofit option. But, I could be wrong because you are talking Democrat and Seattle, not common sense.

Posted by: swatter on February 20, 2007 06:31 AM

6. Watching all this from SW WA is very entertaining. Thanks!!

I am all for the incredibly delerious surface option, as it will surely gridlock Seattle in all ways and then trash Seattle politically, trash WSDOT, the Demos.......the delightful list of trashees goes on and on.

Obviously Seattle has a massive shortage of clear thinking adults.

Let the show begin........pass the popcorn.....

Posted by: Hank on February 20, 2007 06:49 AM

7. One other thing to remember about when the big earthquake hits; we just voted for the school district to renovate schools that are NOT the worst seismically (except for one, Nathan Hale). If the district doesn't change its mind and shore up the other 6 seismically challenged buildings and the occupants are hurt (or killed), there will be nowhere for the superintendent, district staff and board members to run and hide. They can't say it's an act of God or they didn't know. They know right now, today.

It's one thing to play chicken with mostly adult lives on the Viaduct and another one with children's lives in school buildings.

Ironically, the district is having building administrators do "emergency planning" sessions to prepare for a big earthquake. All the planning in the world won't hold up a building.

Posted by: westello on February 20, 2007 10:59 AM