Michael McGinn, the only major candidate for mayor of Seattle who opposes Greg Nickels’ $4.2 billion plan for a bored tunnel, today challenged Nickels to acknowledge the lessons that he should be learning from the Brightwater and Beacon Hill tunnels.

“At $4.2 billion, the tunnel already costs too much and harms Seattle’s real priorities,” McGinn said. “And anyone who has seen what has happened with the Brightwater and Beacon Hill tunnels knows that the costs could rocket even higher.”

McGinn continued, “Greg Nickels needs to be honest with the voters of Seattle: continue reading »

Today Mayor Nickels joined Christine Gregoire at a champagne reception to celebrate the signing of the Viaduct Tunnel bill. Yep, champagne — the photo attached is straight from the reception.  

What are they celebrating? They have picked the most expensive, the most risky and the most polluting option. It wastes money needed for more urgent priorities, such as providing good schools for our children, eliminating overcrowding on buses, making our neighborhoods safe, and preparing Seattle for a better economic future. continue reading »

Today’s paper reported that the Sound Transit bored tunnel through Beacon Hill created a 21-foot hole underneath a house, one of several “voids” in Beacon Hill that has resulted from the tunneling. How do the soils of Beacon Hill compare with those beneath downtown Seattle where a tunnel would go? According to the State Department of Transportation, the glacial sand, silt, clay and other soils are similar to the hard and dense soils along most of the proposed SR 99 bored tunnel alignment. Except these soils are beneath office and residential towers, not single family homes. continue reading »