Seattle's new mayor come January, Mike McGinn, a former Sierra Club activist, withdrew his campaign threat to veto the highway tunnel planned to replace the Alaska Way Viaduct.
A 54-foot wide tunnel is planned to replace the seismically unsound Viaduct along the Seattle waterfront amidst much criticism. Construction should begin in 2011. Opponents hope to change public opinion when McGinn takes office in January.
"McGinn said in an interview that he thought the tunnel remained a bad environmental choice with a "very high probability" that it would become an expensive boondoggle.
Advocates for replacing the viaduct with improved surface roadways said the waterfront could be beautified at a much lower cost.
Tunnel supporters and opponents agree on one point: The waterfront's current Alaskan Way Viaduct -- a double-decker freeway damaged in a 2001 earthquake -- must be torn down. Seismologists have warned the structure may collapse if another major temblor hits."
Thanks to Len Conly
FULL STORY: Seattle Girds for Tunnel Fight
With a Key Bridge Cracked and Closed, Seattle Considers Another Tunnel
The West Seattle Bridge, a key artery for car commuters in Seattle, has been closed since March, and the city has begun to consider a broad array of options for repairing or replacing the span.
Seattle Tunnel Contracts Signed, But Opposition Remains
Contracts have been signed on a tunnel project to replace the earthquake-damaged Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle. But opponents are still trying to stop the project.
Seattle Tunnel Plan's Price Tag Causes Concern
Plans to replace Seattle's aging inner-city freeway with a $4.2 billion tunnel and expanded bus service have many lawmakers concerned about being able to raise enough money to make it happen.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service