Gregoire chickens out, punts on 1st down

[maxsolomon]

Thanks, Christine! And the cheapest solution ( http://www.peopleswaterfront.org ) isn't even on the table.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/296088_viaduct15ww.html

OLYMPIA - Gov. Chris Gregoire said today that the residents of Seattle should decide how to replace the aging and earthquake-damaged Alaskan Way Viaduct.

Gregoire was expected to announce her decision about what should be done - either replace it with a tunnel or rebuild it. Instead, she called for a city vote between rebuilding the structure or replacing it with a tunnel. All other options - including tearing the viaduct down and having surface streets take the traffic - are off the table.

Another elevated highway is estimated to cost about $2.8 billion' a mile of tunnel would cost at least $4.6 billion.

"I don't believe that, without a vote, either option will move forward," Gregoire said. "We need to hear directly from the people for whom this decision has the most impact."

[maxsolomon]

1. crickets?

you'd think this would generate a little heat around here, but her friday night news dump strategery worked perfectly.

people, this is going to lead to a rebuild of that beast, but even WIDER!

[MikeNearMcChord]

2. Well when the finish with the Puget Sound's version

of the Big Dig I hope (A) a piece don't fall on some unfortunate driver and (B) don't name it after some sports star.

[maxsolomon]

3. good point.

its settled then.

[geniph]

4. Sorry, I agree with the Governor

Highway 99 is a state route, but the Viaduct is a city of Seattle roadway. The decision should be made by those who will be taxed for whatever option is chosen (presuming they can ever move beyond Seattle Paralysis and choose anything, which is by no means certain).

[maxsolomon]

5. what do we elect representatives for?

i thought we chose them to make the tough decisions FOR us. typical wash. state - punt to the voters on every tax decision - run scared from tim eyman - and nothing ever gets done.

state route 99 has stoplights on much of its route - the exception being 85th & surora to 1st ave. s. the objections of the WSDOT are based on maintaining traffic flows - the impact on the surrounding community is not considered.

the surface solution makes sense.

[geniph]

8. Precisely, that's what we elect REPRESENTATIVES for

not the chief executive. It's the legislature's job to make the tough choices, like this one.

[maxsolomon]

6. from the stranger's latest issue:

I Resolve


...to Fall on Some Cars and Kill Some Stupid Motherfuckers from West Seattle If Someone Doesn't Make a Decision
by the Alaskan Way Viaduct

I, the Alaskan Way viaduct, pledge to stand up as long as I can, but I'm really losing interest fast. I'm really fucking pissed that Governor Gregoire didn't do what we pay our governor $145,00 per year to do. Be a leader. Make a goddamn decision. That's what I was holding out for, but her announcement on December 15 that Seattle voters should choose between a tunnel and an elevated rebuild only prolongs this mess. I'm old and tired and decrepit, and I'm really having a hard time not falling down right now. I've got pride, and I was certainly willing to stand here for a few more months, but there's a limit. Without knowing what my future will be, I'm just losing interest in this whole thing. I'll try to stand up as long as I can, but thanks to you, Governor Gregoire, I'm not making any promises.

[Pierzin]

7. I agree here! what a chickensh**!!!

But in reality, what we really need is if the state clearly can't do it, the feds should step in as they did back in the day. It may be off topic, but honest to God, how were the Interstates built??? Why is there no noise about that? Why is there no pressure on the feds to invest in our national infrastructure???
Transit projects are not going to get cheaper. We need leaders who are going to grab the bull by the horns and get stuff done, not poll takers who make decisions based on polls. sheesh!!! Gregoire needs to grow some balls.
hahaha!

[pscot]

9. Gregoire's no dummy.

She tossed the grenade right back into the City's play pen. If the mayor and the council want expensive toys let 'em face the electorate. After the way they sandbagged the monorail they deserve whatever bad things happen to them. Karma, baby. Karma. With an oil crisis looming on the horizon they strangle a key mass transit project, and now they want to spend billions on an submarine shrine to the internal combustion engine, built in the middle of a quake-prone land fill. It would be comic if it weren't so pathetic.