A tunnel by any other name

The Seattle City Council has offered two oddly constructed ballot proposals for replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct, one of which is pointedly and preciously referred to as the Surface/Hybrid Tunnel.

Names matter, especially in an election. The city is in full campaign mode in advance of the March 13 special election, already promoting the smaller tunnel over a new, elevated roadway. Consider the mastery and doublespeak of the name Surface/Hybrid Tunnel. This too-clever-by-half appellation originated in the office of Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels. Nickels, et al., talk a lot about various improvements to surface streets, and some would accompany so-called Tunnel Lite.

For example, if voters agree to the mayor's smaller tunnel, Third Avenue would remain a transit priority route — no cars during peak hours or no cars at all. That is technically a surface fix.

But let's not confuse the issue, which the name seems designed to do. The Surface/Hybrid Tunnel is not what many recall as the third option for the viaduct: the surface option that called for tearing down the viaduct and not building a tunnel or a new elevated highway.

The surface idea was dropped by the state because that plan cannot accommodate required vehicle capacity.

Surface/Hybrid Tunnel is designed to lure voters who support a surface street, in place of a tunnel or rebuild, into voting for the tunnel.

Clever and even a bit devilish.

Voters need to pay close attention because some fancy footwork is going on, beginning with the name of the tunnel option, the "Surface/Hybrid Tunnel."