Poll: Replacing Alaskan Way Viaduct

The State of Washington plans to spend billions of dollars to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct, along Seattle’s waterfront, with a tunnel. What do most people think about that?

The state Department of Transportation wanted to know, so they spent $60,000 to survey about 1,000 taxpayers. Their results show 62 percent of people in and around Seattle support replacing the viaduct with a bored tunnel after learning key details about the project.

The random-sample survey was conducted by EMC Research.

The survey also shows:

• An overwhelming majority think vehicle capacity in the SR 99 corridor should be increased or kept the same as today: 47 percent say capacity should be increased, and 42 percent say it should be kept the same as today.
• Congestion remains an important issue: Traffic congestion is a key concern and 78 percent believe removing the viaduct without replacing it will make congestion in and around downtown Seattle worse, and 62 percent say they would be directly impacted if the viaduct was permanently closed without a replacement.
• People are paying attention, but not to the details: Although 84 percent say they have been paying attention to the debate over what to do about the viaduct, only 27 percent say they are aware the current plan is to replace the viaduct with a bored tunnel.
• When provided with the details, a strong majority think the bored tunnel is a good idea: At the beginning of the survey, 42 percent think the bored tunnel is a good idea, 31 percent think it is a bad idea, and 27 percent are unsure. After hearing basic information about the project, such as its ability to keep the existing viaduct open during construction and a design allowing it to withstand a 2,500-year earthquake, 62 percent think the bored tunnel is a good idea while 31 percent continue to think it is a bad idea.

Bids are for the project are due by October 28, with two contractors vying for the $1.1 billion contract. The overall budget for the tunneled segment from Sodo to South Lake Union is expected to cost $2 billion. In all, the project is expected to cost $4 billion. A draft environmental-impact statement for the viaduct replacement project will be published October 29, launching a 45-day public comment period for the project.