Murray proposes mediator to avoid 520 fight

OLYMPIA — State Sen. Ed Murray has a plan for avoiding a political meltdown over how to replace the Highway 520 floating bridge — bring in an outside mediator to work with neighborhood groups to reach consensus on the project.

Murray says he has the votes to get a measure through the Senate requiring the state to hire a mediator. Senate Bill 6099 could come up for a floor vote within a few days. There's support in the House and the governor's office as well for the approach.

The idea is to avoid the type of political gridlock that has occurred over the Alaskan Way Viaduct, said Murray, D-Seattle, a vice chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

"Seattle has this food fight going on around the viaduct. It hurts our ability to get what Seattle wants out of the Legislature because it's not clear to legislators what Seattle wants," Murray said.

"I hope we can avoid a food fight on Highway 520," he said, adding that that project has the potential to be "more explosive than the viaduct."

The viaduct-replacement project has been stalled for months by a feud between state lawmakers and city officials over the best way to replace the structure. A citywide advisory vote is now under way. Citizens can choose a tunnel or a new viaduct. They also can say no or yes to both. Ballots for the mail-in election must be postmarked by March 13.

The Highway 520 project could prove even more volatile than the viaduct because it affects a much more densely populated area, Murray said. The 43rd District, which he represents, includes many of those neighborhoods.

Senate Bill 6099


The bill would require the state to hire a mediator and planners to handle neighborhood concerns about the Highway 520 project and develop a plan to address those concerns.

The state Transportation Commission's approval of the plan is required 60 days before a regional ballot measure goes to voters in November.

The ballot measure would expand the Sound Transit light rail system and help build numerous road projects, including a new Highway 520 bridge.

Source: Washington state Legislature

"The neighborhoods right now are fighting each other over different alternatives," Murray said. "

Under his bill, a mediator and planners hired by the state would work with neighborhoods this year to find ways to reduce noise, handle increased traffic through neighborhoods, and make the new bridge more attractive, possibly by putting lids on some parts.

Gov. Christine Gregoire has endorsed a six-lane replacement for 520. Murray said he hopes discussions with neighborhoods could help drive the design for certain parts of the project.

An estimated $4.4 billion to $5.3 billion is needed to build a six-lane bridge to replace the four-lane span constructed in 1963. Engineers consider it as vulnerable as the earthquake-damaged viaduct.

Senate Transportation Committee Chairwoman Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, likes the bill. "I think it's a great process. I really wish we'd thought about it early," she said, noting that the state Department of Transportation (DOT) is sometimes viewed as an enemy by local communities.

"I really believe that if we'd had something like this in place it would have resolved a lot of the concerns about the viaduct," she said.

Ted Lane, with the Portage Bay/Roanoke Park Community Council, also agreed that Murray's approach could help by getting neighborhood groups together and helping them deal with the DOT.

"We need some help working with DOT, which in the past has kind of cavalierly accepted or rejected ideas," he said.

David Dye, urban-corridors administrator for the DOT, could not be reached for comment.

People will still have disagreements on Highway 520, "but I think they are differences that can be worked out," Lane said. "Nobody wants the state to come in and dictate."

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