I am not fully convinced that replacing it with nothing would not be a viable option. I suspect they wanted to dig this thing because they (thought they) could.
[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. 
There were other options that didn’t involve digging a gigantic money pit.
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.
Hmm. You’re correct. It’s a below grade tunnel.
Journey to the Middle of the Block?
-Golf clap- You made me snort coffee out my nose.
An above grade tunnel seems like it would be a waste of money. But kind of neat.
Well, they do have a few above-grade tunnels in New England, Madison County Iowa, and some other places around the country.
That’s just what they want us to think. I heard it was an ancient alien spacecraft.
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:
- Have someone else implement reduction of traffic through Seattle by implementing everything under the sun except a tunnel.
- Tear down Viaduct.
- 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.
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.
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 …
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.
Oh. Where does the Alaskan Way viaduct go?
That must be the famous Alaskan Viaduct to Nowhere. 
Just want to say I loved your album. Sorry about K.
Vy not a chicken? 
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”. 