SEATTLE -- Planners considering ways to replace Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct have released cost estimates for eight options.

Costs range from $800 million for a surface street, to about $2 billion for another elevated roadway to as much as $3.5 billion for one of the tunnel scenarios.

Estimates for annual operating costs range from $3 million to $10 million, officials said.

The city, King County and state Transportation Department are working together toward a final recommendation by the end of the year.

"We will use the cost information to assess the affordability and benefits of each proposed scenario," Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond said in a statement. "Then, we'll combine the most promising elements from the eight scenarios into two or three revised scenarios in the next few weeks."

Transportation officials say the 55-year-old section of Highway 99 along the Seattle waterfront was damaged in the 2001 Nisqually earthquake and could come down in another quake. It carries about 100,000 vehicles a day.

Regardless of which construction option is selected, planners expect to begin removing the existing viaduct by 2012.

For More Information:

See layout maps or artist renderings of the eight construction options.