Photo courtesy state transportation department Flickr page
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and Governor Chris Gregoire at the signing ceremony for the memorandum of agreement to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct. 

Governor, mayor sign agreement on proposed bored tunnel

By Robinson Newspapers Staff
10/26/2009

Gov. Chris Gregoire and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels signed a memorandum of agreement on Saturday, Oct. 24, which outlines the city and state’s construction and funding responsibilities to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with the proposed bored tunnel.

The Seattle City Council unanimously approved an ordinance on Oct. 19 that endorsed the proposed tunnel and authorized the execution of the agreement.

The agreement establishes a formal partnership between the City of Seattle and Washington state for removing the viaduct along the waterfront, between South King Street and the Battery Street Tunnel. The state will fund the replacement of SR 99 along the waterfront, removal of the remaining viaduct, and construction of a new waterfront boulevard.

The city will improve city streets, such as Mercer Street, replace the central waterfront seawall, relocate utilities, and build new public spaces along the waterfront.

The Federal Highway Administration, state and city are leading the environmental review for the viaduct replacement along the waterfront. A second Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which analyzes the bored tunnel and builds upon the previous review of other alternatives, will be published for public review in early 2010.

Similarly, results from this months semi-annual inspection of the viaduct will be released Oct. 30.

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Comments

proposed bored tunnel

Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 11:51.

I love how the city and state are sneaking more improvements to pet project -Mercer, its all about downtown even as schools are closed and public safety funding is cut, how will this in the long run help us when the next earthquake hits, its like putting in a pool while and the roof is leaking. Great in the summer but fiscally irresponsible. The Governor and Mayor want to end there careers with a monument to themselves, What Ego!