Most favor keeping viaduct at six lanes

Thursday, September 9, 2004

By LARRY LANGE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct likely will be rebuilt or replaced by a six-lane tunnel, given the support for those options and the fact that they would keep 110,000 vehicles a day moving through the corridor, a state official said.

State Transportation Department Project Director Maureen Sullivan said most people responding to an environmental impact statement for the viaduct supported the idea of replacing the earthquake-damaged viaduct but also maintaining current traffic levels through downtown

Rebuilding the 51-year-old structure in the same spot or replacing it with the tunnel "seem to be emerging as the most likely candidates," based on their feasibility and general support, Sullivan said.

The two options are among six being studied by the state. The others include a four-lane tunnel, a new aerial structure similar to the old viaduct but larger and replacing the viaduct with a new surface road with three lanes in each direction.

Sullivan said the state also is studying the possibility of tearing down the viaduct and not replacing it with any more road capacity, similar to what one local group has proposed. That report is due for release Sept. 17, she said.

The state, Seattle and the federal government plan to select a preferred alternative for viaduct replacement by late October. Construction could start by 2008 if enough money is found. So far the state has set aside $177 million for environmental studies and some design and initial land purchases but needs more to finance construction.

Costs of the options range from $2.5 million to $4.1 billion, with the highest cost estimate assigned to the six-lane tunnel. Possible sources of additional money, Sullivan said, include $2 billion through the state, the Port of Seattle and the city and the federal government including the Army Corps of Engineers. The corps is studying replacement of the Alaskan Way sea wall.

P-I reporter Larry Lange can be reached at 206-448-8313 or larrylange@seattlepi.com

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