State senator unveils plan to replace viaduct, 520 bridge without toll

State senator unveils plan to replace viaduct, 520 bridge without toll

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Story Published: Mar 30, 2007 at 7:10 PM PDT

Story Updated: Mar 30, 2007 at 7:14 PM PDT

By Keith Eldridge

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Just when you thought the idea of building a tunnel to take the place of the Alaskan Way Viaduct was dead comes a new plan to revive the idea. Sen. Cheryl Pflug, R-Maple Valley, says we can afford to build a six-lane tunnel under Seattle and build a new 520 bridge without charging tolls.

Pflug says you can afford that by simply transferring the billions of dollars meant for light rail to the eastside and putting that money toward building roads.

Her plan includes a tunnel that goes deep under the downtown area instead of along the waterfront.

"It's about getting the Viaduct replaced," says Pflug. "It's about building the new 520 bridge. We've been told we don't have the money and I have a plan to show you that we do."

The republican state senator says you can accomplish this by delaying the light rail plans across the I-90 Bridge indefinitely shifting nearly $5 billion.

"How can we justify setting aside that pot of money at this point in time and calling it our first priority over the safety and capacity issues that we have today?"

And she says there's still money to complete the Highway 509 connection to I-5, finish the connection of highway 167 to I-5 and build the cross-bass highway at Fort Lewis and McChord.

This would be a major shift away from promoting mass transit projects.

Sen. Chris Marr, D-Transportation Committee, says, "I'm not at all convinced there is public support nor am I convinced that it's smart transportation policy to eliminate an approach the greatest and most cost effective ability to move 'people' across Lake Washington."

This bill (SB 6169) comes late in the session. There are only three weeks to go and little likelihood it'll get a hearing.

"So far I haven't seen that, but you know if we hear from people at home then things can break loose fairly quickly," Pflug says.

There is a lot of skepticism around this plan, but Pflug says people should look at this carefully when you're talking about a tunnel, a bridge and no tolls.

More Information:

Washington State Legislature

Washington State Senate Republican Caucus

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