V is for Viaduct
Jodi and I celebrate the silence while the Viaduct is closed
Oct 14, 2006: We started off Jodi’s birthday by heading down to the waterfront to enjoy the closure of the viaduct. WSDOT does this inspection semi-annually to make sure that it’s not fallen apart so much in the preceding six months that its complete collapse is imminent. This inspection cycle is particularly interesting, as it’s right before the decision is to be made about whether to replace the viaduct with a tunnel, another viaduct, or the streets+transit option. It was great to tour around the area with a group and not have the incessant viaduct traffic noise disturbing our conversation!
Jodi also got interviewed by KOMO 4 news about the walk.
Then, this morning, the combined Times/PI Sunday edition had a story about a poll they’d taken that shows a majority want to replace the viaduct with another viaduct. Ugh. Sadly, 30% of those in favor of a replacement viaduct favor this option because they “like the view” from the current viaduct. A view which will not be present in a new elevated viaduct construction, of course, but that was never mentioned in the article as far as I saw. Lowers my opinion of the PI that they’d run such a hatchet-job against the tunnel and streets+transit options for the viaduct (albeit, one that is clearly from the Times side of the house)!
Photos of the walk at Doddsnet
