Busy Tuesday night in West Seattle. Among the scheduled events, the Viaduct open house; thanks to West Seattle writer Charla Mustard-Foote for covering it for WSB:
![viaductmeeting1.jpg](https://westseattleblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/viaductmeeting1.jpg)
By Charla Mustard-Foote
WSB contributor
State, county and city transportation officials conducted an open house along with an open-mic session Tuesday night at Madison Middle School, as the next step toward figuring out what will replace the “Central Waterfront” section of the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
More than 55 area citizens, including people from the neighboring south King County towns of Burien and Seatac, attended. 16 people used the open mic and all but three expressed views directly in opposition to the plans currently under discussion. To summarize the
dissent: People from neighboring towns thought their views were being ignored and pointed out that people from towns south of Seattle will be more affected by the dismantling of the viaduct than people from East Seattle and Beacon Hill and no presentations had been scheduled for them. (Transportation officials have planned a meeting with the Burien City Council next month.)
This month’s Open House reviews center on six ancillary projects, referred to as “Building Blocks leading to System Level Scenarios”. You can see detailed information about the building blocks and potential scenarios at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/viaduct/library-meetingmaterials.htm.
The vast majority of speakers opposed any plan which depended upon demolition of the existing viaduct and favored investigation of various proposals for retrofit. Retrofit wasn’t on the ballot in March 2007, when King County voters rejected two proposals: one for a surface road-tunnel hybrid (70-30 percent) and another for a new elevated highway structure (56-44 percent). Voters interviewed at that time indicated they expected transit authorities to come back with proposals which would include retrofitting the existing structure. Instead, the proposals under discussion emerged, involving replacement of the viaduct with combinations of surface streets, public transit, and increased use of the I-5 freeway.
One speaker, John Chasteen, drew enthusiastic applause when he said, “They called the viaduct a big ugly — it may be, but it’s *OUR* big ugly.”
As the meeting ended, several people expressed interest in organizing to influence consideration of alternative ideas, and to affect upcoming election of local candidates. No specific plans were made, but WSB will follow the evolving story and let you know what comes next. Meantime, transit officials will consider community input (another Open House is scheduled for Thursday in Ballard), and a stakeholders’ advisory board continues to meet regularly.
The current timetable calls for recommendations to Governor Gregoire, Mayor Greg Nickels, and County Executive Ron Sims, who will select an alternative by the end of the year. Current plan is for demolition of the Central Waterfront section of The Viaduct by 2012; other related projects start sooner, including replacement of its southern section.
For more information, watch www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/viaduct.
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