Recently I theorized Governor Gregoire is causing herself gratuitous grief with her own base. A couple commenters disagreed. David Postman also expressed skepticism about serious political fallout, albeit before the issue began to spiral the last couple weeks. So, where are we?
Well, local Democrats are coming out in spades against Gregoire's preferred option, the elevated rebuild. Meanwhile, money is pouring in to campaign against that choice as well.
In the liberal blogosphere, Goldy notes:
Governor Gregoire seems intent on painting herself into a rhetorical corner with her adamant refusal to seriously consider any option for replacing the Alaska Way Viaduct that doesn't include a massive, double-decker freeway running through Seattle's waterfront.
Similarly, Daniel Kirkdorffer says "Governor Gregoire is digging herself a hole" with her "inflexible" approach. Kirkdorffer also chides Gregoire on the issue of the Sonics' arena. A post at Evergreen Politics concurs, questioning if Gregoire is "tone deaf," while wondering: "Does the governor really believe that further antagonizing the base of her support here in Seattle is going to help her in November of 2008"?
The Sonics arena shows little sign of life in the Legislature, thus not likely to give Gregoire long-term grief with her base. The Viaduct on the other hand is fraught with peril. If Seattle voters approve the rebuild on March 13th Gregoire will seemingly be compelled to proceed with ramming the rebuild down the throat of Seattle's political establishment. If Seattle voters nix the rebuild she'll likely to have to retreat from to earlier pronouncements ruling out serious consideration of the surface street option. It's not as if she can ignore a vote she herself insisted upon, nor can one easily see her reversing course for what seems like the umpteenth time on this issue by suddenly finding some form of the tunnel acceptable.
Stay tuned. It's tough to see the situation becoming less strained prior to March 13th, and perhaps beyond.
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UPDATE: To enforce the notion Gregoire is playing with fire on this issue by so strongly acting against her Seattle base, the P-I editorializes against both the tunnel and the rebuild, while a front page story in the Stranger takes the same approach.
Posted by Eric Earling at February 22, 2007 10:13 PM | Email ThisI've been saying since December that Gregoire is sliding backwards on both transportation and education policy.
The opposition to the elevated option is building quickly. These are troubled waters -- Dino would indeed do well to take notes.
Posted by: Patrick on February 22, 2007 11:03 PMConspiracy thoughts are in my head, but it may be that NO's are just more intelligent and know when the ballots will go out and thus did their 1st piece then.
Posted by: Dengle on February 22, 2007 11:23 PMNot to mention all of her incredibly left leaning, anti-individual policies and gaffes in the last two years. Remember the made-up story of the a personal threat, and the subsequent blaming of "talk show radios."
It's fun to watch her squirm. She's alienating enviro-nuts who wish we had no cars or roads and want the surface street. And she's alienating the fat cats in the local construction industry and waterfront property owners, to whom her fellow Democrat Nickels promised a tunnel.
There's not a lot of love left in the world for Christine Gregoire. So she's showing a little bit of political sanity in fixing or rebuilding the viaduct, so as to appeal to the real people of Seattle. You know the rest of us who realize that automobiles are here to stay, that removing 99 will create gridlock because they already screwed up I-5, and that money doesn't grow on trees.
Let's be realistic, there's another five good years of Seattle indecisiveness in the Viaduct. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the millions wasted while officials try to figure out how to pull their heads out.
Posted by: Jeff B. on February 22, 2007 11:34 PMIt is the last man standing and will win out.
Posted by: David Sucher on February 23, 2007 12:40 AMThose old timers who have pushed the retrofit and risked their good names I think will eventually be vindicated.
Posted by: swatter on February 23, 2007 07:04 AMAugusts I-5 north lane reductions will make this painfully clear. I expect them to solve the matter before then as that fiasco will make it painfully clear what a reduction in north south capacity will do to Seattle and the public will then support the rebuild quickly.
Posted by: Cecil on February 23, 2007 07:57 AMGregoire in the middle of a tornado being spun around and on each side is a different coice for the viaduct.
or
Gregoire playing spin the bottle to see what option she chooses this week.
Feel free to add any more ideas to this and have fun.
Posted by: TrueSoldier on February 23, 2007 08:42 AMThe retrofit has compromise written all over it.
Posted by: swatter on February 23, 2007 08:51 AMof course they can't fix the congested hotspots after the 9 1/2 cent gas tax. They are too busy building bike lanes, cable barriers and HOV lanes with it. Here is the first project that was completed with the 9 1/2 cent "emergency" gas tax:
The first project to be completed with the new tax money is an $800,000 bicycle lane on Potato Hill Bridge crossing Interstate 90 in Moses Lake.
Check it out: http://soundpolitics.com/archives/005315.html
The state should provide enough $$ for a rebuild. If Seattle really want a tunnel then THEY can pony up the difference.
I'd like to see more on the REAL agenda that drives a tunnel rather than coverage on the tunnel itself.
Posted by: Jack Burton on February 23, 2007 10:19 AMI'm just saying that Gregoire knows for a fact that reducing capacity will be a nightmare and the DOT has told her not to do it. Her base doesn't care about capacity NOW. Come August they're going to see a hands on display on reducing capacity through seattle northbound and so all the surface option folks are going to get on this damn quick in hopes of forcing a buy in before then. After August it's going to be impossible to disucss reduced capacity in the same environment as today. I expect them to go hard at the surface option and get it started ASAP to avoid an object lesson from getting to the voters first.
Posted by: Cecil on February 23, 2007 10:24 AM"CRUMBLING VIADUCT THREATENS TO CRUSH GREGOIRE"
Posted by: Jeff B. on February 23, 2007 10:51 AMSo, when the connection was made it sucked dry all the State funds for years and years and put the State even further behind, which as you now know, is getting even further behind.
Posted by: swatter on February 23, 2007 10:58 AM"OK Seattle, here's what's going to happen. In June, you're going to have a vote on what you want to do. You can do anything that doesn't reduce the capacity. If what you vote for costs more than the rebuild, you will have another vote in November on financing the difference. If you vote for something that will reduce capacity, or can't figure out where to get the money, we're going with the rebuild/retrofit."
If we had a Gov who wasn't dependant on Seattle votes to stay in office, or who was an actual leader, that might have happened.
Posted by: Heartless Libertarian on February 23, 2007 11:52 AMThe heartless approach would be to say "Here's your 2.1 Billion sitting in Escrow. You'll owe us interest of 33% until you have a plan to which you are committed & have a bonded revenue stream. And 10% continuing until the replacement is fully open. We require a plan that can handle 100,000 vehicles per day, with an average speed through the _slowest_ parts at 8AM and 5PM of 45MPH. Oh, and you're responsible for both the Sea Wall and any impact whatsoever on the railroad & ferry system. We'll deduct those expenses from your Escrow _before_ you see a dime."
Posted by: Al on February 25, 2007 07:49 PMThe Emerald Gate Bridge.... think about it.
Posted by: Non Profit on February 26, 2007 09:33 PMGolden Gate Bridge
http://goldengatebridge.org/photos/