SEATTLE – Today the State House joined the Senate in approving the removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, and replacing it with a bored-tunnel – marking the end of a nearly decade-long advocacy effort by the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) to replace the aging viaduct with a non-elevated option.

“At last, the opportunity for a vibrant, world-class waterfront free of an unsightly two-mile wall dividing it from the rest of Downtown is a reality,” said Patrick Gordon, DSA board chair. “We have a rich history of accomplishments when we bring together a collective vision, collective focus and collective effort, and I applaud our elected leaders for rising to the occasion by taking a visionary approach to this 100-year-impact decision.”

The DSA Board of Trustees voted unanimously in mid-January to endorse the bored tunnel replacement plan as the best option to preserve regional transportation capacity, contain costs and avoid enormous – and potentially crippling – impact of viaduct-related construction activity on the Downtown, residents, waterfront and regional economy.

“This is a major victory for Downtown Seattle, for the region and for the state,” rejoiced DSA President Kate Joncas. “It’s been a long road getting to this milestone decision, but thanks to a dedicated and collaborative group of Downtown leaders we kept hope alive in finding common ground.”

While the bored tunnel will allow for direct and easy access through Downtown, the DSA is also advocating for improvements that will ensure people and goods can move smoothly within Downtown. These improvements include upgrades to surface streets – such as Mercer and Spokane – replacement of the seawall and investment in new transit service.

DSA Transportation Committee Chair Rob Sexton added, “Today is a day for celebration. But starting tomorrow, we must get back to work in partnership with the city, county and state, as well as with business, labor, environmental and industrial leaders to bring this vision for a world-class waterfront and integrated transportation infrastructure to life.”

Highlights of the DSA’s viaduct advocacy milestones include:

• May 1958: During its first board meeting, DSA discussed the need for ramps to provide access and egress from the recently completed Alaskan Way Viaduct to the Center City – as the viaduct was originally conceived as a bypass highway through Seattle without option for exiting in Downtown. On/off ramps were later added to Columbia and Seneca Streets.
  
  
• January 2002: DSA Planning Committee sends first memo to the DSA board regarding replacement of the viaduct.
  
  
• 2003: DSA committees work on viaduct replacement design principles which are endorsed by the board in 2003 and 2007.
  
  
• December 2004: DSA endorses a tunnel option to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct and opposes construction of a new elevated highway on the waterfront.
  
  
• March 2007: DSA leads the campaign to defeat a new elevated highway on the waterfront. Seattle voters reject both the construction of a new viaduct, and the development of a tunnel.
  
  
• December 2007: DSA board member Rob Sexton is appointed to the Viaduct Stakeholders Advisory Committee.
  
  
• 2008: DSA urges the viaduct project team to consider economic impacts and opportunities of the viaduct replacement project.
  
  
  
• October 2008: DSA leads a fact-finding visit to San Francisco to learn from the city’s experience in removing the Embarcadero Freeway from its waterfront.
  
  
• December 2008: DSA and leading developers conclude that the “integrated elevated” replacement option is not economically viable. The viaduct project team eliminates the option from further consideration.
  
  
• January 2009: DSA joins stakeholders and elected officials to applaud the decision to remove the viaduct, reconnect Downtown to the waterfront, invest in new transit service and construct a four-lane bored tunnel.
  
  
  
• March 2009: DSA hosts a forum featuring an international engineering and design expert specializing in tunnel construction to discuss how the bored tunnel project differs from Boston’s “Big Dig,” and how the proposed tunnel compares to tunnels around the world.
  

About the Downtown Seattle Association
Established in 1958, DSA (http://www.DowntownSeattle.com) is a member-based non-profit organization that champions a healthy, vibrant urban core. By advocating on behalf of business, non-profit, arts and residential interests throughout Downtown Seattle, DSA ensures that Downtown is a world-class place to live, work, shop and visit.

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