A lack of Leadership from (not my) Governor Gregoire
OLYMPIA
-- Gov. Chris Gregoire agreed Monday to stay the execution
of Seattle's modified tunnel plan for an Alaskan Way Viaduct
replacement, less than a week after she said the time for
appeals had expired.
Swayed by the promise of a
public vote, Gregoire begrudgingly reopened debate on a
four-lane tunnel proposed by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels that
is estimated to cost at least $3.4 billion.
"I'm not going to just
disregard what the voters of Seattle have to say," Gregoire
said at a news conference. "I think it's my responsibility
to ask the questions and see what answers those voters can
have by the time they vote."
That means the tunnel
option is still alive, if just barely. Key legislative
leaders oppose a tunnel plan and have said a vote in March
by Seattle residents on viaduct replacement options is
meaningless because it won't list cost estimates or funding
options.
Gregoire's switch befuddled
some observers, encouraged tunnel backers and startled
tunnel opponents, who took it as a sign that they need to
focus their energies.
Tunnel proponent Sally
Bagshaw, with Allied Arts of Seattle, was heartened by
Gregoire's words but said: "I would prefer to see the
governor take a strong position that united the city and
Olympia. Shifting positions have created an environment of
confusion."
Last week, Gregoire and
legislative leaders issued a statement unanimously rejecting
the tunnel replacement option for the earthquake-damaged
viaduct, which carries more than 100,000 vehicles a day.
State leaders, including
Gregoire, had said Seattle had two options: Move forward
with rebuilding the elevated road or risk losing $2.8
billion in state funds to a state Route 520 bridge
replacement.
Since then, the Seattle
City Council approved two March ballot measures to allow
city voters to weigh in on both the elevated viaduct
replacement or a modified tunnel as proposed by Nickels.
WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID
LAST MONTH: TUNNEL ALIVE
"We need to hear directly
from the people."
LAST WEEK: TUNNEL DEAD
"Move forward with an
elevated viaduct replacement or reprogram funding" to the
520 bridge replacement.
MONDAY: TUNNEL ALIVE
"The next big issue is what
do the voters say."
