No and no: Voters rejecting both viaduct options

[SahaleArm]

And the winner is: none of the above.

Seattleites cast a ballot for further political uncertainty Tuesday, as voters overwhelmingly rejected both proposals for replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct, according to early returns.

"What they said with the answer to both questions is, 'We don't want a freeway along our waterfront.' They want better answers," Mayor Greg Nickels said at a party Tuesday night with supporters of his tunnel proposal. "We want to reconnect our city to the water."

The all-mail election, which was not binding, hands back to politicians the thorny debate over how to replace the earthquake-damaged, 54-year-old double-decker highway.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/transportation/307376_viaduct14.html">City, state leaders left wondering what's next

Hopefully we'll see some better alternatives as this moves forward...

[maxsolomon]

1. I can't wait to see how Gregoire weasels on this one

and Licata, Della, Chopp, WSDOT, etc. ad nauseum.

let's look at the history:
1. Seahawks stadium vote: yes. Stadium built
2. Monorail Vote: yes, multiple times. Monorail not built
3. Tunnel & Viaduct: no.

therefore, we will likely wind up with a viaduct built over a tunnel.

BTW, there is no such thing as a "more attractive" 4 story freeway.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

2. No and no- has a ring to it-just say no!

Max ,seems you are saying the voice of the people is silent -or that it goes nowhere and does nothing!

No means show us something ,
or come back to us when you got something.

Money talks and bull shit walks. And this bird don,t fly in any direction.

The developers do not own or control this city or state-they just think they do!

No means no.

[rusty60]

3. Gregoire will handle it in a professional manner

It is a hard choice and I doubt if every one will be happy but I am sure hard decisions will be in a fair manner if given a chance before we call people names.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

4. I think so too!

She lissens to people,-and She has the ability to look at all that is befor her in truth.The difference between what are viable options and what is filled with half truths and false figures.

No tunnel on the water front.


Put the tunnel on us-put the Interstate on the state.
There is no real long term plan in that.

What,s good for this city is good for this state.
What is good for the state is good for many -or all ,not just the few that are rich and those other few players that want to become so.

So whats the twenty eight million dollar answer to that question?

[maxsolomon]

5. what makes you think she will change now?

"professional manner" means different things for a politician than it does for you.

boo hoo on name-calling. besides, i said she will "weasel", i didn't call her a weasel. i am posting anonymously on a website. i can call Gregoire, a professional politician, or dimbulb david della, another professional politician, whatever i want.

walt crowley called licata & della 'comic book marxists'. would that i were as cutting.

[rusty60]

6. OK I see now - sorry i misunderstood

[maxsolomon]

7. yes i'm a jerk

but 'weasel' is a verb.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

8. What about no means no Max?

And the idea of going back to the drawing board? How about the concept of commissioning a team of investigative engineering consultants ,say some from Europe-others this country that have been involved in design areas such as Chicago-New Jersey- NYC. hell even Texas!

Concrete and steel Max!

Anything that was ever done in this country on a grand scale-consultants were brought in.
Buffalo N.Y.. example-turn of the nineteenth century-, Buffalo -Niagara peninsula threw water generated turbine,s is where the power came from to light up the city of Chicago!

Scientists and engineers were brought in from Europe -to make it happen.

Bully right? Like charging up San Juan hill.

In the Navy it,s a Ensign with a idea !
At home it,s a politican with a plan!
The ensign doesn,t have the experience to generate a good idea.
The politican with a plan-is often and too often out of touch -shell-or Shelkofe!

Anyhow, the drawing board looks like the best bet right now!

But we need the people that know how to use IT!
And that comes with a cost!

[maxsolomon]

9. we have the design professionals in town

we just need WSDOT's monovision traffic engineers to get out of the way.

this city is too cheap for a grand construction - the surface solution will ultimately be least expensive.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

10. Yes we do Max -But

We do not have the very best there are.And our very best look to the very best in the form of a consult-you might call that looking into the designs and works of others in the field.

We may not want to spend on a grand scale -,but-we certainly can afford the expense of calling in the very best consultants in concrete and steel construction.

I, am talking about engineers -the very best consulting engineers there are.

And in the kind of moneys that are already on the slate for spending,I,am talking about accountability now.

I am not in the blind here.Thats a fact.
And when it comes down to the buck-I want the most for my money.
Same as most anybody -when it comes down to value.

You can call Raffin or Sellen -Clark -Or you can get the very best there are.

Hate to think of a tunnel that begins nowhere and never ends-or is completed.And it,s not like such a thing hasn,t already happened-like the whole idea being scrapped in the middle of construction.

If our people are on the side lines-waiting for the results of the findings,Than-,the findings cannot and will not be tailored or altered to suit any political agenda.

What that leaves is -the facts.
And for my buck,I expect nothing less than that.

And it looks to me the people threw the vote see it just that way.