Rossi announces his plans for viaduct and 520, other transportation initiatives

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi this morning released a transportation plan that calls for replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunnel and building a new Highway 520 floating bridge that can hold eight lanes of traffic.

Overall, the proposal would spend $15 billion on transportation projects in the state, according to Rossi, who is running against Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire.

In addition to his plans for the viaduct and the 520 bridge, Rossi proposes widening Interstate 405 from Renton to Bellevue, and building a new four-lane, six-mile highway from Interstate 5 to Highway 7 in Pierce County.

Rossi proposed paying for the work in part by spending a portion of the state sales taxes on new and used vehicles on transportation projects — a total of $7.7 billion over 30 years for transportation.

That tax revenue currently goes to the state's general fund where it's spent on other programs. Rossi's plan doesn't say how he'd make up that money in the general fund.

His plan also calls for converting state government vehicles to hybrid and plug-in electric cars by 2015 and eliminating the sales tax on the purchase of hybrid, electric and alternative-fuel vehicles for the next 10 years.

"Our state is experiencing a transportation crisis that is impacting our quality of life and hindering economic growth," Rossi said in a prepared statement. "My vision for transportation is rooted in freedom and the ability of people to make good choices for themselves."

Many of his proposals, such as building a new 520 bridge that can hold eight lanes, have been highly controversial in the past and would likely run into intense political opposition.

Andrew Garber: 360-236-8268 or agarber@seattletimes.com