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Senate OKs viaduct tunnel plan | KOMO News - Seattle, Washington | Local & Regional
By Associated Press
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - The Washington state Legislature has approved a plan to replace Seattle's aging Alaskan Way Viaduct with a deep-bore tunnel, and Gov. Chris Gregoire said she will sign it into law.
The Senate, on a 39-9 vote Friday, concurred with changes made in the House on the plan to replace the earthquake-damaged elevated highway.
In a statement issued after the vote, Gregoire said the tunnel replacement "will create jobs, help us emerge from this recession stronger and prepare our state for a 21st economy."
The plan commits $2.4 billion in state money to the project and adds an additional $400 million in tolling revenue - money that can only be spent tearing down the current structure and building the new one.
Replacement of Seattle's aging waterfront seawall, and improvements made to the waterfront will need separate sources of money.
The city of Seattle will be required to pay for all utility relocation costs. The Legislature will also contribute $50 million for improvements needed along the Spokane Street trucking corridor. Under the plan, Seattle property owners are on the hook for cost overruns in excess of $2.8 billion.
As proposed, the tunnel would be 54 feet in diameter, with 12-foot traffic lanes, a 4-foot shoulder on the left and an 8-foot shoulder on the right. Unlike the viaduct, there would be no exits or entrances between the south portal near the Mariners' and Seahawks' stadiums and the north portal on Aurora Avenue North, three blocks east of the Seattle Center.
The 55-year-old concrete viaduct, part of State Route 99 and used by about 100,000 vehicles a day, was damaged in the Nisqually Earthquake of 2001. The route is a major thoroughfare for state commercial activity, with truck traffic carrying goods to and from Port of Seattle.
Also Friday, the Senate, on a 32-16 vote, passed a bill approving a plan to toll drivers crossing the State Route 520 floating bridge across Lake Washington in King County. The House passed the bill last week; now both sides need to reconcile on amendments. Tolls would be collected before construction of a replacement for the aging structure, which is vulnerable to earthquakes and rough weather.
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The Alaskan Way Viaduct bill is Senate Bill 5768. The 520 tolling bill is House Bill 2211.
By Associated Press
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - The Washington state Legislature has approved a plan to replace Seattle's aging Alaskan Way Viaduct with a deep-bore tunnel, and Gov. Chris Gregoire said she will sign it into law.
The Senate, on a 39-9 vote Friday, concurred with changes made in the House on the plan to replace the earthquake-damaged elevated highway.
In a statement issued after the vote, Gregoire said the tunnel replacement "will create jobs, help us emerge from this recession stronger and prepare our state for a 21st economy."
The plan commits $2.4 billion in state money to the project and adds an additional $400 million in tolling revenue - money that can only be spent tearing down the current structure and building the new one.
Replacement of Seattle's aging waterfront seawall, and improvements made to the waterfront will need separate sources of money.
The city of Seattle will be required to pay for all utility relocation costs. The Legislature will also contribute $50 million for improvements needed along the Spokane Street trucking corridor. Under the plan, Seattle property owners are on the hook for cost overruns in excess of $2.8 billion.
As proposed, the tunnel would be 54 feet in diameter, with 12-foot traffic lanes, a 4-foot shoulder on the left and an 8-foot shoulder on the right. Unlike the viaduct, there would be no exits or entrances between the south portal near the Mariners' and Seahawks' stadiums and the north portal on Aurora Avenue North, three blocks east of the Seattle Center.
The 55-year-old concrete viaduct, part of State Route 99 and used by about 100,000 vehicles a day, was damaged in the Nisqually Earthquake of 2001. The route is a major thoroughfare for state commercial activity, with truck traffic carrying goods to and from Port of Seattle.
Also Friday, the Senate, on a 32-16 vote, passed a bill approving a plan to toll drivers crossing the State Route 520 floating bridge across Lake Washington in King County. The House passed the bill last week; now both sides need to reconcile on amendments. Tolls would be collected before construction of a replacement for the aging structure, which is vulnerable to earthquakes and rough weather.
---
The Alaskan Way Viaduct bill is Senate Bill 5768. The 520 tolling bill is House Bill 2211.
