What's with the 99 tunnel?

[DougLeary]

Can anybody explain how reducing Hwy 99 from a 3-lane freeway to a 2-lane tunnel is going to help alleviate congestion there? I totally don't get the concept.

Is it because the lack of exits to downtown will force people in West Seattle and ferry commuters from Vashon to use 1st Ave or I-5 to get to and from downtown? Maybe it's a way to get us to vote for a monorail next time around. I just dunno.

[bisjoe]

The tunnel is not and has never been meant to reduce congestion. It's simply to eliminate the chance of the viaduct coming down in an earthquake. The current mayor would prefer to have no tunnel and no cars in Seattle at all, just bicycles. It's only because 99 is a state highway that there is a replacement.

[Cap'n Crunch Killa]

I haven't been following it at all. When are they planning on tearing it down? Last I heard they were still fighting over what to replace it with.

[bisjoe]

Originally Posted by Cap'n Crunch Killa

I haven't been following it at all. When are they planning on tearing it down? Last I heard they were still fighting over what to replace it with.

Actually, the first section comes down next week on the 21st. There will then be a detour on the ground connecting the northern part by pike Place Market to
the new elevated part just past the stadiums. the tunnel has not been started yet. The whole thing will not be done until 2016 and until then traffic will be a mess. For that reason I take the bus from Sammamish and walk one mile from the westlake station to my office. Good exercise and occasional adventures.

[Cap'n Crunch Killa]

Wow. I'll need to avoid that area at all cost for the next 5 years. Thank god I have no reason to be in that area anymore.

[bisjoe]

Originally Posted by Cap'n Crunch Killa

Wow. I'll need to avoid that area at all cost for the next 5 years. Thank god I have no reason to be in that area anymore.

When I drove to work I'd go on the 99 twice a day, always wondering when it would fall down. Now I walk under it twice a day. Strangely, I worked a block from the cypress freeway that fell in Oakland back in 1989 so I really should know better.