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Dan Evans |
Monday, February 26: The History of the Viaduct
When it opened more than 50 years ago, the Alaskan Way Viaduct was seen as a beautiful necklace around the city. Now, some say it’s more like a noose ---ugly, unsafe and something that cuts off downtown from the waterfront. Voters in Seattle are being asked whether they favor rebuilding the structure or replacing it with a tunnel. Today, we kick off a series on the viaduct vote. KPLU’s Paula Wissel begins with an interview with former Governor Dan Evans. He served on a state advisory panel on the viaduct and has some interesting historical perspectives.
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Illustration of the new proposed elevated viaduct
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Tuesday, February 27: The Elevated Structure Option
The debate over Seattle's aging Alaskan Way Viaduct sometimes sounds like a
school-yard brawl. Now, the politicians have asked Seattle voters
to jump
into the fray.
At stake is a mega-project that affects highway spending
across Washington.
In part two of our week-long series on the viaduct
vote, KPLU's Gary Davis looks at the cheaper option on the ballot - a new
viaduct.
 Click here to listen |
Illustration of tunnel option near Pike Place Market looking south
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Wednesday, February 28: The Tunnel Option
The idea of moving the Alaskan Way Viaduct underground is dead in Olympia.
Nevertheless, Seattle is holding out hope that a pro tunnel vote will bring it
back to life. In part three of our series on the Viaduct Vote, KPLU's Jennifer
Wing looks at why the tunnel option has such a following in Seattle and what it
would take to build it. [With reporting by Bellamy Pailthorp.]
Click here to listen |
Surface street concept. Illustration by LMN Architects/Mithun.
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Thursday, March 1: Can We Live Without It?
Seattle voters are being asked to choose between building a new elevated highway
along the downtown waterfront or building a new highway partially buried in a
tunnel. But is a new highway really the only option? Some Seattleites are
asking, "What would the waterfront look like if we took our Northwest
environmental values seriously?" KPLU's Liam Moriarty has this report.
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The viaduct cutting through Seattle's central waterfront. |
Friday, March 2: Viaduct Vote part 5 - Lingering Questions About Money
and Choices
All this week on KPLU we've been looking in detail at ways to replace Seattle's
waterfront highway. Voters are facing a referendum on a waterfront tunnel versus
a new elevated freeway. Many people still have lingering questions ... and we
sent KPLU's Keith Seinfeld looking for some answers.
Click here to listen |
