Needed: tunnel vision on Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement

LAST January, the region's top leaders — the governor, the Seattle mayor and the King County executive — announced a deep-bore tunnel would replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

After eight years of dithering, a selection was made that met capacity needs. The agreement was more notable for its decisiveness than any particular design benefits.

Nearly a year later, only one of the three is still in power, Gov. Chris Gregoire, who was least enthusiastic about the tunnel. Seattle mayor-elect Mike McGinn has made no secret of his disapproval of the project. County Executive Ron Sims trekked off to Washington, D.C. Gregoire is left to shore up the decision, along with new County Executive Dow Constantine, also a tunnel supporter.

The politics surrounding the tunnel have changed dramatically and that could mean trouble for those seeking an unfettered project. Though lawmakers in Olympia passed legislation providing billions for the tunnel, the plan moves from likely possibility to one that could implode.

State Sen. Ed Murray, who led the way on tunnel legislation in the Senate, says unless all the stakeholders — politicians, labor, business and environmentalists — agree on a different alternative, the matter is closed for the Senate

The House, with tunnel critic and House Speaker Frank Chopp at the helm, could be another matter. Judy Clibborn, House Transportation Committee chairwoman, says the bill is finished. A decision has been made.

During the campaign, McGinn announced that despite his opposition he would not stand in the way of the tunnel being built. He said that after the City Council voted 9-0 to support the tunnel.

More recently, McGinn has talked anew about his concerns, especially an amendment in the state legislation that says overruns "shall be borne by property owners in the Seattle area who benefit" from the tunnel. The best job for the new mayor is to be the taxpayer watchdog to ensure the project can be completed without overruns.

This editorial page believes the legislation should be cleaned up to return the overrun burden to the state, but that is easier said than done. The entire bill might have to come before the Legislature and that could torpedo the earlier hard-fought decision.

The tunnel disrupts the southern part of downtown for less time than a rebuilt viaduct. The strength of the tunnel plan is it represents a region ready to move forward. And in a place that prides itself on process and process overload, that is no small feat.