Gregoire ratchets up pressure for vote on viaduct

OLYMPIA — Gov. Christine Gregoire on Thursday said the state would move ahead with replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct with an elevated highway if the city of Seattle fails to let voters decide the project's future this spring.

Gregoire last month called for a public vote in Seattle to break the political stalemate over whether to build a more affordable elevated structure or a tunnel that she considers financially out of reach.

She wants the vote to take place before this year's legislative session ends in April. The session starts Monday.

In recent weeks, some Seattle City Council members have questioned whether the issue should go before voters.

The governor gave the ultimatum in an interview at her office. If the public doesn't vote before lawmakers leave town, "it's over," she said. "It's over because then I will instruct the Department of Transportation to move forward with the above-ground" option.

Gregoire said she thought Seattle officials already understood that was her position, but "if I have failed in that regard, I'll make sure they do." Her office later drafted a letter to the city Thursday.

Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis said the ultimatum was news to him.

"That's not something she'd said to us that directly before. Not at all," he said. "It doesn't change the mayor's political equation because he has said he is proposing this to be put on the ballot. We're already taking all the steps necessary to get that under way."

Ceis said he presumes the council will put the measure on the ballot, "but I don't know that for a fact."

The city is talking with King County officials about a vote either March 13 or April 23, Ceis said. The last day of the legislative session is April 22.

Seattle City Council members also were surprised by Gregoire's deadline.

Jan Drago, who leads the council's transportation committee, has been working on a possible compromise that she says might satisfy the governor and avert an election.

Drago and others are considering a smaller, less costly four-lane tunnel or an elevated highway with a park on top. Opponents of a new viaduct say the structure would further wall downtown off from the waterfront.

Council President Nick Licata said he couldn't see how Drago's alternatives "would make all sides happy."

The Governor's Office had no comment on Drago's suggestions. However, Holly Armstrong, a spokeswoman for Gregoire, said the governor would not support an option that carries less traffic.

Licata, meanwhile, has drafted a proposed ballot question for a March 13 election.

It would ask voters if they prefer a tunnel, "which has secured $2.4 billion of a likely total cost of $4.6 billion," or a new elevated highway, "which has $2.4 billion of secured funding of a likely total cost of $2.8 billion."

Licata's ballot question also would note that additional local taxes might be required to pay for anything above the secured amounts.

In a memo to council members, Licata said House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, told him a ballot question must include cost figures or legislators will ignore it.

Licata said he expects the council to take up the viaduct-vote issue at a special meeting Jan. 18 or Jan. 19.

Most council members are still uncommitted over a public vote on the matter.

The governor has said that if cost were no object, the tunnel would be an easy choice for her. But Gregoire said she concluded that, at least for now, Seattle doesn't have enough money to build such a project.

"So you need to come up with a viable funding plan and put it to the voters to see if they are willing to pay, and, hopefully, that will break the political impasse," Gregoire said.

A decision has to be made by spring, she said, to start construction in 2008.

Mayor Greg Nickels has said the city would pay for the tunnel with money from the Port of Seattle, a special downtown property tax, federal grants and a regional tax increase expected on the ballot later this year.

The Legislature last year asked that Seattle residents vote on a viaduct-replacement option or that the City Council choose a replacement by ordinance. While the council initially intended to put the issue to a vote, it changed its mind and endorsed the tunnel.

Gregoire is in a tough spot politically. Chopp and a majority of House Democrats oppose the tunnel. Nickels and a majority of City Council members oppose building a new viaduct.

Nickels has said he would abide by whatever voters decide. Chopp said he doubts voters would opt for a tunnel, but he wouldn't say what he would do if he's wrong.

The state has set aside $2.4 billion, including gas taxes and federal aid, for a replacement project. The Governor's Office says the state should come up with $400 million more, regardless of which choice Seattle voters make.

The viaduct, built in 1953, was damaged in the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, and engineers say it may not survive another major quake.

Andrew Garber:360-943-9882 or agarber@seattletimes.com