Updated Oct 22, 2009 - 1:00 pm

The star of the Seattle mayoral debate: The Viaduct

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The star of the show in Wednesday night's debate between Seattle's mayoral candidates was, once again, the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

It was the first debate since candidate Mike McGinn said on Monday that he disagrees with the Seattle City Council's vote to replace the Viaduct with a tunnel, but that doesn't mean he would try to stop it in its tracks.

In the debate sponsored by the Seattle Times and King-5 News, McGinn said the tunnel is still a bad idea, "I don't think we know yet how much it costs - state law makes us liable for all cost overruns," he maintained.

His opponent Joe Mallahan reminded voters of a McGinn "flip-flop" on the tunnel saying that he is "confused and don't trust where (McGinn) is today on the tunnel."

Mallahan went on to assert his support for the project saying that McGinn isn't looking at the bigger picture, "I don't think he understands the impact to our economy, the impact to working families." Mallahan said, "This $2.4 billion infrastructure investment by Washington state will secure thousands of new working family-wage jobs and will protect tens of thousands of such jobs."

McGinn countered by saying "My position is clear. Yes, I'll abide by the vote of the city council saying we have to move forward, but I don't think we should proceed when we have to pay cost overruns. Joe Mallahan says we can live with it."

The latest polls show Mallahan increasing his lead by about 7 points over McGinn with less than two weeks left in the campaign.

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• biteme wrote...

  The Viaduct

  is a great way to enter the city, if you ever wanted to impress an out of Towner and show the city off , nothing beat entering from the South using the Viaduct to enter downtown. You had Elliott Bay and the Olympics to your left and the city's buildings right at your other side. A very beautiful entrance on a sunny Seattle day, it will be missed.

  October 22, 2009 9:50 am

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• Thor wrote...

  Save the Viaduct

  We tend to throw away good stuff needlessly ... because after all, it is just taxpayers paying for it. Specific example: Taxpayers are still paying for the Kingdome. There is nothing wrong with Quest Field, but it could have been built elsewhere. I say spend good money re-enforcing and fully stabilizing the Viaduct. Building a tunnel underneath, through all that soft fill, is illogical ... and would be a tremendous waste of taxpayer's resources. I'll vote for anyone with the guts to stand up to the City Council and Special Interests to save the Viaduct.

  October 22, 2009 10:11 am

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• Happy Camper wrote...

  Ugoolee

  That's the viaduct in one word. It is a scar that hids part one of the most interesting aspect of the city (water front) from the rest. If you really want to impress out of towners get on the ferries and come in and out of town around sunset. Just think what a sight that would be without the 1940s car worshiping designed 1950s built viaduct.

  October 22, 2009 10:26 am

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