Happening till 8 pm: Viaduct/Tunnel meeting @ Madison

Lots of state and city experts here waiting to answer your questions and listen to your thoughts regarding the new plan for replacing the Central Waterfront section of the Alaskan Way Viaduct — the sun’s streaming through the west-facing wall of windows at the Madison Middle School compound. Among those here in the early going, two of West Seattle’s three representatives on the South Portal working group that’s hashing out some of the access issues, Pete Spalding (left) and Vlad Oustimovitch:

Also here now, Mark Wainwright of the Admiral Neighborhood Association, who is on the Central Waterfront working group (as is another West Seattleite, Chas Redmond). You can leave a written comment here, or say your comment out loud to a transcriber who is standing by waiting to listen (and type). As Kristy Van Ness from WSDOT explains, they want to hear your concerns about the plan, to help shape the “scope” of the environmental impact studies before anything is built — that’s why this is called a “scoping” meeting. In case you can’t make it here tonight, we’ll add info in a bit on the other ways you can contribute your comments; the draft environmental-impact report isn’t due out till early next year. Also at the event: The campaign to get an anti-tunnel measure on the ballot – still collecting signatures till next month.

3 Replies to "Happening till 8 pm: Viaduct/Tunnel meeting @ Madison"

  • Michael June 10, 2009 (8:26 pm)

    Anti-tunnel measure? Who would be stupid enough to try and delay and inflate costs like that?
    .
    Oh, I forgot, it’s an election year…

  • mike green June 11, 2009 (7:41 am)

    get ready for cost overruns—

    MG

  • brian zenk June 11, 2009 (3:32 pm)

    The big impact will be navigating the streets from west seattle and back everyday to get to work. I ride this road everyday on a small motorcycle. Right now it is really tricky navigating the pot holes and street half entrenched railroad tracks, then add 1000 more cars an hour and I will be forced to riding my bicycle. It’s a mess right now enough to make a person crazy. Even on a light day the traffic can be bad, as soon as a train blocks the tracks down near the coast guard station all hell breaks loose. I have seen it all riding this road for four years. I think the tunnel idea is just wrong considering our location to earthquake faults and sea level changes. The idea that to enjoy Seattle from just the waterfront area is an odd and weird idea. If you really want to see the beauty of Washington the waterfront is the last place to be. The big question that needs to be addressed is how much more pollution from cars waiting for the lower harbor island bridge to close after the viaduct is dropped than in the present condition of things. Right now travel down there is rough drop the viaduct and build a tunnel its going to get really weird down there. Who ever is doing the road upgrades thanks. Please fix the pot holes in the tracks that should make travel simpler. Hey, if the city wanted to make an impression fix the mercer street mess.

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