# Olympia, Seattle and a hole in the ground **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 25, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978 "2014-04-25T18:50:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/21 "2014-04-26T02:49:00Z")
I am not fully convinced that replacing it with nothing would [not be a viable option](http://www.cnu.org/cnu-news/2006/09/expert-report-removing-seattle-viaduct-viable). I suspect they wanted to dig this thing _because they (thought they) could_. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/22 "2014-04-26T19:46:14Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Ample woman, would you say? [Hannibal Lecter] Roomy through the hips? [/Hannibal Lecter] Hey, when Philly did its Big Dig, it came off just fine, didn’t wreck anything. Much. Made it so much easier to get from Joisey to the highways leading out west from Center City. The Vine Street Expressway. A thing of beauty. Seattle could take a page from Philadelphia. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/23 "2014-04-26T20:31:42Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Tearing down the viaduct and replacing it with nothing wasn’t viable, and neither was leaving it up until it falls over. There were other options that didn’t involve digging a gigantic money pit. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/24 "2014-04-27T03:09:17Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Hey, when Philly did its Big Dig, it came off just fine, didn’t wreck anything. Much. Made it so much easier to get from Joisey to the highways leading out west from Center City. The Vine Street Expressway. A thing of beauty. > > Seattle could take a page from Philadelphia. 😃 Umm, is that a tunnel? Sure looks like a below-grade freeway to me. The thing in Seattle is supposed to go completely underground for well over a mile. I think it does not compare. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/25 "2014-04-27T06:49:55Z")
Hmm. You’re correct. It’s a below grade tunnel. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/26 "2014-04-27T18:19:31Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > If they can set the cameras right, they can make their money back by packaging it as a sci-fi movie remake of _Journey to the Center of the Earth]_. Journey to the Middle of the Block? ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/27 "2014-04-28T14:00:12Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Journey to the Middle of the Block? -Golf clap- You made me snort coffee out my nose. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/28 "2014-04-28T15:10:25Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Hmm. You’re correct. It’s a below grade tunnel. An above grade tunnel seems like it would be a waste of money. But kind of neat. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/29 "2014-04-28T16:52:57Z")
Well, they do have a few above-grade tunnels in New England, Madison County Iowa, and some other places around the country. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/30 "2014-04-28T18:25:44Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > The article says they hit a steel well casing left behind after the government did some groundwater tests in 2002 and 2010. That’s just what they want us to think. I heard it was an ancient alien spacecraft. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/31 "2014-04-28T18:29:34Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I am not fully convinced that replacing it with nothing would [not be a viable option](http://www.cnu.org/cnu-news/2006/09/expert-report-removing-seattle-viaduct-viable). I suspect they wanted to dig this thing _because they (thought they) could_. The report isn’t describing “doing nothing” as a means to success. They helpfully :rolleyes: base their rationale on solving all of the area traffic flow and improving area transit as a mitigating means. They also helpfully don’t propose how this should be done, only that others do the homework. The Expert’s plan: 1. Have someone else implement reduction of traffic through Seattle by implementing everything under the sun except a tunnel. 2. Tear down Viaduct. 3. Declare success. I’m just glad something is being tried, even a broken tunneling machine and a boondoggle tunnel are cheaper than the typical 20-years of study committee stagnation we’ve had to date here in Seattle. ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/32 "2014-04-28T18:32:18Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > You don’t have to copy everything we do in Boston. (Besides which, I don’t think our bridge is all that beautiful, and you don’t really have a place to put it.) Actually your **Big Dig** is somewhat frightening as I have seen people make the most dangerous lane changes ever on it. And I’m not a “bridge fan” anyway. No OP…Seattle is likely stuck digging the hole and then spending billions to maintain the infrastructure. Most capital projects are worked on until they are complete as the groupthink in the decisionmaking processes which commits communities and states to them is so entrenched that no one will admit to having made a mistake with its approval. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/33 "2014-04-28T18:39:53Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > … Now it will cost [50% more than the borer itself](http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2014/04/tunnel-contractors-bertha-stall-may-cost-125m/) just to fix it. … > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > … (And who designed the thing so this part could only be fixed from the front?) Sounds like it would be cheaper to buy another boring machine and start from the other end of the proposed tunnel. Eventually it will dig through to the front of the stuck machine. And then it will jam up and … ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/34 "2014-04-28T19:43:22Z")
Doesn’t the viaduct go to West Seattle? In the 35 years that I lived there, I never drove on the viaduct, but it really doesn’t look like it’s all that necessary, unless West Seattle has grown a lot since 1993 and everyone living there works downtown. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/35 "2014-04-28T22:52:28Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Doesn’t the viaduct go to West Seattle? In the 35 years that I lived there, I never drove on the viaduct, but it really doesn’t look like it’s all that necessary, unless West Seattle has grown a lot since 1993 and everyone living there works downtown. Different one, commonly known as the Spokane Street Viaduct. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/36 "2014-04-29T04:27:54Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Different one, commonly known as the Spokane Street Viaduct. Oh. Where does the Alaskan Way viaduct go? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/37 "2014-04-29T04:37:40Z")
That must be the famous Alaskan Viaduct to Nowhere. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/38 "2014-04-29T07:09:37Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Well I went to school. In Olympia. Just want to say I loved your album. Sorry about K. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/39 "2014-04-29T08:03:01Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > So they decided to replace the viaduct with a tunnel. Vy not a chicken? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978/40 "2014-04-29T14:22:11Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Oh. Where does the Alaskan Way viaduct go? There are lots of great online map tools that will answer that within a minute. Probably quicker than you typing that response. Even the new Google maps will show you “alaskan viaduct”. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympia-seattle-and-a-hole-in-the-ground/686978.md?page=3)