A roadway merge sign from voters

Sometimes, if you ask a goofy question, you deserve a goofy answer.

Seattle voters offered such a response — "no" to the tunnel, "no" to a rebuilt elevated highway — and sent city and state transportation planners a harsh but appropriate "get your act together" message. The answer as to the best way to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct still eludes us. Of the two ballot choices, the more-practical rebuilt elevated roadway was the superior choice and fared better in early returns than did the tunnel. "None of the above" or "Start over, knuckleheads" did better still.

No matter how Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels spins things, this is a huge political setback for him. His long-sought tunnel is officially past tense.

The Seattle City Council set the tone for a dysfunctional election and deserves much blame for a bizarre ballot. Council members did not really want to know if voters favored a tunnel or elevated roadway. The rabidly pro-tunnel council asked because the governor said it had to.

The council, oddly, posed two questions instead of one, avoiding the more logical either-or question. The ballot was designed to improve the outcome for the tunnel, but it didn't work.

The ballot confused some voters, angered others and prompted many to refuse to participate. There may be sufficient residual anger to prompt support for fresh faces in fall council elections.

The exercise, however expensive, was not a complete waste of time.

"Double no" means, of course, voters didn't like either choice. It also may mean they are enthused about the so-called surface-transit idea not on the ballot, enthusiasm related to the fact that so little is known about it.

Clearly, the question before voters was not only about which roadway would best move passengers north and south along the waterfront. The question is about the future and heart of our city. Seattle voters are known for an inability to say no. In their own polite way, they finally did.

Nickels, King County Executive Ron Sims and Gov. Christine Gregoire plan an intriguing joint press availability Wednesday. These three should have been singing from the same songbook all along, but did not.

If this hazardous roadway is to be rebuilt, fixed or replaced, our leaders have to work together to create a solution. Voters said in no uncertain terms they have no patience for unproductive, nonstop, intramural fighting.