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City Council May Attempt to Foil Public Vote on Tunnel

Posted by Dominic Holden on Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 7:04 PM

For the second time this month, the Seattle City Council may be trying to prevent a referendum on the deep-bore tunnel, according to sources at City Hall. It remains unclear what device they could use to block a public vote, but details of the tunnel agreements are currently being crafted with the city attorney's office and are expected to be released at a meeting on Monday.

"We have been asked for legal advice from the council that addresses broad questions about contracts for the Alaskan Way Viaduct," says City Attorney Pete Holmes, asked about an legal mechanism to approve the tunnel contract but block a public vote. "There are some legal issues there that we are looking at that I cannot get into right now because it is legal advice. I can't disclose what strategies they may be thinking about."

Holmes, who will address the council on Monday afternoon, says he is "working on it this weekend."

More after the jump.

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City State Study: Tunnel Would Put More Traffic on Downtown Streets Than Existing Viaduct, Risk Damaging Historic Buildings, Increase Carbon Emissions

Posted by Dominic Holden on Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 2:40 PM

WSDOT
The tunnel's north portal

Building a deep-bore tunnel would allow more vehicles to travel through downtown than if we simply tore down the Alaskan Way Viaduct, but it would also put 28,000 more vehicles a day on downtown streets than we have now because it would lack exits, according to the state’s supplemental draft environmental impact statement (SDEIS). The document—which is alarming some local experts on these sorts of studies—identifies many other impacts of replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct with an underground highway. Some of them are listed below.

A couple disclaimers: This SDEIS that we’re referring to is a draft of the draft, which the state intended to shield until October but relinquished due to a records request. So things will change, but not a lot. The document is "pretty close" to the draft that will be released, says WSDOT's Ron Paananen, "but there is still editing to do." It’s really long, detailed, and technical; this write-up is not a definitive analysis of the contents (you can download them for yourself here and reach your own conclusions). That said, here is some of what's inside:

A Different Goal and No Alternative: The state shifted the goal of the project to focus on capacity for vehicles. Although the state previously examined alternatives for replacing the viaduct in 2004 and 2006—with a new elevated freeway or a cut-and-cover tunnel—those studies gauged the ability to “maintain or improve mobility, accessibility, and traffic safety for people and goods." This new study's purpose is specific to "providing capacity for automobiles," points out City Council Mike O'Brien, who was a stakeholder in the group working on viaduct alternatives in years past. "Things like increased investment in transit, better managing on-street parking, better signage, investments in bike lanes—all of these things may be the best way to move people and goods, but don’t qualify as solutions because they are not providing for auto capacity, they are managing demand.”

The SDEIS addresses this change by saying, “The project’s purposes and needs were updated to reflect current state and local priorities” from the city and federal agencies.

But redefining the purpose of the study could be a problem (and not just an explicit clash with a state law targeting reduced carbon emissions and the city's carbon-neutrality agenda). In this case, omitting alternative metrics—specifically any transit-enhanced alternative to the tunnel—actually calls into the question the legitimacy of the study, says David Bricklin, an environmental and land-use attorney who has spent 30 years examining documents like this DSEIS. “The alternative analysis is the heart of an EIS,” he says. The only remaining alternative to the tunnel is a surface/transit option, Bricklin says, because voters soundly rejected the other options in 2007. But this study—specifically being about capacity for vehicles—ignores the surface/transit option. “How can you have an assessment of the two remaining options where you only look at one of them?” he asks.

State law says that the impact study must be completed before authorities can officially decide to build any major project—the study informs their decision and compares options. This study won’t be done until next May or June. Predisposing the government’s choice to one option clashes with the point of the process, Bricklin says. “The governor, legislature, and city council seem to have their minds made up and they are just going through the motions of preparing the environmental analysis,” says Bricklin. “It is backwards and it’s a violation of the law.”

Moreover, “They did not study the recommendations from the 2008 stakeholder process,” says Cary Moon, a member of that stakeholders group and director of the People’s Waterfront Coalition. “They only study the bored tunnel and compare it to the two alternatives rejected in the 2007 vote. This seems cynical and dishonest.”

Downtown Could Handle More Cars (Maybe): If a tunnel is built, downtown could accommodate an estimated 496,600 cars passing a central point per day by 2030; if the viaduct were simply closed, only 447,500 cars a day could pass through the city core. In other words, the benefit of building a tunnel is that the city's core could accommodate 10 percent more traffic than if we just rip down the viaduct. But the tunnel itself would have less capacity than the current viaduct, which has downtown exits where lots of the traffic gets off. The study says, “most of the 30,000 daily trips on SR 99 through midtown would be accommodated elsewhere in the transportation system.” Of those, "about 28,000 vehicles per day would shift to downtown city streets." As an example of the importance of those exits, current traffic analysis shows that 110,000 cars use the viaduct at Yelser Way but that tapers down to 63,000 a day at the Battery Street Tunnel. “While the streets can handle it,” says Moon, “it is a lot more traffic added to city streets than tunnel fans were expecting.”

It doesn’t Account for Tolling: Oddly, this study doesn't plan for tolls—which are inevitable and will drastically alter traffic projections. This is dishonest. The state needs to come up with $400 million from tolling to make its budget, as dictated by a 2009 state law, and that’s what the state plans to do. Peak-hour tolls would be $4 one direction and $3.50 the other, according to estimates released this January in another document from WSDOT. That previous tolling report—which isn’t used for the traffic analysis described above—shows that more than half of the traffic would divert to downtown streets when it opens in 2015 and about 40 percent would divert by the year 2030. In lieu of that analysis, traffic projections are skewed to show that more people would use the tunnel than would really use it. But in reality, drivers would use other routes instead, further adding to downtown street traffic. Those numbers “would be low enough to call into question the very need for the facility,” says Moon. The mayor’s office noted this omission in a letter to the state, and, in reply, the state said it would add a chapter to calculate the impact of tolling in future iterations of the study.

More Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Building a tunnel that increases car capacity will result in an increase of roadway emissions from 988 metric tons per day in the downtown core to 1236 metric tons by 2030. Not a shock. This is what you expect when building a highway.

Noise Will Decrease: Right now, with the viaduct in place, sound is monitored downtown at 68 locations, and noise exceeds allowable limits at 48 of those. With the tunnel—the highway underground—that drops to only 40 locations.

Parking Will Decrease: In all, we lose 570 parking spaces (out of 6,000), most near the southern portal. “Not really a big deal,” says Moon.

Jobs Aren’t the Reason: This will create 480 jobs, which isn’t a lot for the $3.1 billion the state is spending, says Moon. “So much for the 'jobs' argument,” she says. “Our tax dollars seem to be going toward multinational engineering firms, consultants, and lawyers.”

WSDOT
CLICK TO ENLARGE: It's not a turd. The soil profile where the tunnel machine will dig.

Risk to Downtown Buildings: Digging a tunnel will create significant vibrations from the 56-foot wide tunnel-boring machine and will require hauling out an estimated 1.4 million to 1.5 million cubic yards of soil from under downtown. Removing that material and given the soil conditions—clays, silts, shifting sands and other sedimentary materials—creates a risk of ground settling under buildings. “Effects on historic resources during construction could occur from settlement,” the SDEIS says. Two buildings, the Western Building and Polson Building, “may experience severe settlement that could damage the buildings. The Western Building is in poor structural condition and settlement may cause further extensive structural damage, if unmitigated.” And even then, “Mitigation measures to protect the building may not prevent the need for demolition to avoid the possibility of collapse.” In addition, 12 other buildings—all historic buildings except the Federal Building—may “experience utility disruptions, and cracks or other aesthetic damage from settlement that could be repaired.” It continues, “Other buildings above the tunnel alignment may potentially experience non-adverse effects, such as utility disruptions, minor cracks that require interior painting or repointing of brick walls, or slightly sticking doors and windows.” It’s interesting that cracks in buildings along the two-mile alignment is called a “non-adverse effect.”

Find more in the documents for yourself here.

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Stranger Suggests Today The Stranger Suggests

Posted by The Stranger on Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 11:00 AM

ART BOOKS

Summer Shuffle

Art-book flea market in the sculpture court! Seattle's contemporary museum, the Henry Art Gallery, has decided to whittle its stash, meaning art books on the cheap. There'll be exhibition catalogs; artist biographies; nerdy periodicals (yesss!); delicious, delicious theory and history books—and you're encouraged to bring your own art books to trade. In James Turrell's Skyspace, in honor of words day at the museum, experimental poets Nico Vassilakis, Crystal Curry, Joel Felix, and Jeanne Heuving will give sky-spatial readings (sunny!) at noon and 2:00 p.m. (Henry Art Gallery, 15th Ave NE and NE 41st St, 543-2280. 11 am–4 pm, free.)

JEN GRAVES

See what else is happening in Art on Saturday »

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Animals / Architecture Africans Thinking About Human Bipedlalism

Posted by Charles Mudede on Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 10:27 AM

To read one African's theory about human bipedalism (and architecture), go to what I wrote here. To hear another African's theory about human bipedalism, go just over five minutes into this video about bonobos:

"I may not be taken seriously now, but I believe that, within 15 years or 20 years after today, my claim maybe proved as true."

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Books Reading Today: Live Music with Toy Instruments

Posted by Paul Constant on Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 10:22 AM

We have a couple of mysteries today, and then two interesting-looking readings.

Vancouver poet Clint Burnham reads at Pilot Books tonight. Maybe you should stop over during your Block Party festivities.

And Western Bridge is hosting the readings launch for Anna Odessa Linzer's novel, A River Story. Linzer and Elizabeth Huddle will do a staged reading from the book inside an installation by Oscar Tuazon and Eli Hansen. This could be interesting, and there will be live music by The Toy Boats, who are a band that makes music using toy instruments.

The full readings calendar, including the next week or so, is here. And if you're planning on staying in and you're looking for personalized book recommendations, feel free to tell me the books you like and ask me what to read next over at Questionland.

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Two-Block Radius / Music More Block Party Logistics!

Posted by Anthony Hecht on Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 9:54 AM

Will Call today opens at 10 am, not 1 pm, as originally planned. Get there early to avoid the lines. You don't want to be in a line, do you?

Saturday tickets are sold out online, but some tickets will be on sale at the gate. Keep an eye on Line Out, and on Capitol Hill Block Party on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.

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News The Morning News

Posted by Unpaid Intern on Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 8:42 AM

Posted by news intern Galen Weber.

Absolute Failure: Anarchy takes hold as Mariners lose to Sox, fall 20 games behind first, and begin to turn on each other.

Daniel Schorr: passes away. Am I the only one wondering if his death will make it onto Weekend Edition?

This Could Get Ugly: North Korea promises war and threatens nuclear deterrence in response to joint US-South Korean military exercises. List of North Korean promises made but not kept: 5.8 × 10^23 (approx).

Famous Last Oil Rigger Words: “Hey lets set the emergency alarm on silent so we can sleep more.”

How Not to Solve Budget Problems: State gives away island it paid $211,000 for.

Can’t be Blamed: Charlie Rangel entered talks to settle ethics accusations against him, but refused to admit any wrongdoing, crippling the talks.

The Recruiters Never Mentioned This: Veterans Affairs to allow use of medical marijuana in select states.

Dam Won’t Break: Senate approves $44 million emergency repairs for Howard Hanson Dam.

Not Mean Enough: Kenneth Feinberg releases his “boooring” report on bonuses at TARP banks.

The Grizzly from Hell: Colorado bear commandeers car, attempts to pick up females, run over hikers, and chase deer, but ultimately contents himself with eating the seats.

Bonus Points: For whoever can name the cartoonist who prophesized such an attempt in a single panel cartoon.

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Homo / News Federal Judge to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer: Your Ugly, Hateful State May Not Deny Equal Benefits to Gay State Employees

Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 7:42 PM

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's first act upon being sworn into office was to strip gay and lesbian state employees of domestic partner benefits. (God told her to!) Gay and lesbian state employees promptly sued. Today a federal judge blocked the law that would deny domestic partner benefits to gay and lesbian state employees from taking effect. From Lambda Legal's press release:

U.S. District Court Judge John W. Sedwick today granted Lambda Legal's request for a preliminary injunction blocking the elimination of domestic partner benefits for gay and lesbian Arizona State employees. The judge also substantially denied a motion to dismiss the case by State's Attorney Charles Grube, ordering that the case proceed on the merits. Lambda Legal represents ten state employees—including from the Arizona Highway Patrol, the State Department of Game and Fish, and state universities—who rely on health benefits from their employers to safeguard their families' health, as heterosexual workers do.

Sedwick's ruling rejects claims by the state that the elimination of benefits will not harm the families of gay and lesbian employees because they may still be able to obtain insurance privately, through Medicaid or via the employers of the non-public employee partner. "Even assuming that is true," Sedwick writes, citing a 9th Circuit Court ruling in Lambda Legal's ongoing case In re Golinski, "the Ninth Circuit has recognized there is 'an inherent inequality' in allowing some employees to participate fully in the State's health plan, while expecting other employees to rely on other sources, such as private insurance or Medicaid. This 'back of the bus' treatment relegates plaintiffs to a second-class status by imposing inferior workplace treatment on them, inflicting serious constitutional and dignitary harms that after-the-fact damages cannot adequately address."

...

Sedwick also rejected the State's claims that maintaining the same benefits for gay employees that their heterosexual co-workers will continue to receive would endanger other state services: "The State's argument, which is not supported by any evidence, is speculative at best and discriminatory at worst. Contrary to the State's suggestion, it is not equitable to lay the burden of the State's budgetary shortfall on homosexual employees, any more than on any other distinct class, such as employees with green eyes or red hair."

Two thoughts.

First: Fuck you, Jan Brewer.

Second: "Inherent inequality," "back of the bus," "distinct class," "green eyes or red hair." Civil rights rhetoric, gays and lesbians being recognized as a distinct class, a matter-of-fact acknowledgement that gay and lesbians are born that way.

We are winning.

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Books Today in Bad Tattoos: Patriotic Illiteracy Edition

Posted by Paul Constant on Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 4:21 PM

Slog Tipper Lara alerted me to a "patriotic" tattoo. Here's a bit of it:

Screen_shot_2010-07-23_at_10.41.30_AM.png

You can see the whole thing here. So many questions: It's ironic, right? Why would you get an ironic tattoo? Does the person who got this tattoo really read books? Is the person who got this tattoo gay? Why? Why, dear God, why?

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Death / History RIP, Silver Lake Walking Man!

Posted by Lindy West on Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 3:54 PM

If you've ever spent more than five minutes in Silver Lake, you've seen him. It just won't be the same.

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Chow / ??!! The Hidden Valley of Flavor Country

Posted by Andrew Wright on Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 3:33 PM

If you’re looking to add a little intrigue to your next 3am munchies run, the Coupon Sherpa site has compiled a list of the secret menus for 24 restaurant chains.

Some of the options are disappointingly staid (what more can Taco Bell do with meat, cheese, and a guac gun, anyway?), but check out the moxie of McDonalds, which offers up stuff like Chicken and Waffles (McChicken patty crammed into a McGriddle), the Pie McFlurry (exactly what it sounds like, tragically), and the notorious McGangBang (double cheeseburger with a McChicken in the middle). Any takers/survivors of a previous encounter?

Anecdote: When I was at the ’86 Vancouver Expo (yes, I’m old) I vividly remember ordering a Syrup McKrispy, which was … well, pretty much a McNugget with pancake innards. The big draw, however, was the inner core, which somehow consisted of a molten ball of syrup. (On the how-did-they-do-that scale, it beat Sea Monkeys all to hell.) Anybody else remember this thing? Google has failed me.

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Savage Love SL Letter of the Day: Enjoy

Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 3:31 PM

I'm a 44-year-old straight woman with two kids—both pre-teens—who divorced nearly five years ago. Last year, a colleague asked me to help a friend of hers find a job. Long-story-short... we fell in love. We're sexually extremely compatible (both into spanking and low-key BDSM) and our sexual attraction is almost overwhelming. We enjoy each other's company and never really fight.

The problem? I'm 44 and he's 26.

We've broken up three times over the course of the last 14 months. It's never been because we're unhappy with each other. It's always been because my life—as a single parent of two kids—is more than he's ready and able to handle. He likes my kids and they like him. Clearly we love each other. That's why we keep going back to each other. On the other hand, I know that he needs to make his own way in the world and moving into my "ready made" family may just not be good for him (or anyone).

There are other stressors on the relationship as well—we're in the same profession and I am, obviously, much more established than he is. This can be a challenge for some folks, although it never has been for us. Could it become one? I suppose so. Then there are the family complications. His mom knows about us. My parents (we're generally very close) simply pretend that none of this is happening.

So, is an 18 year-age-difference insurmountable? What do you think?

Never Been A Cougar Before

My response after the jump...

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Savage Love / Tech Top Ten and Counting!

Posted by Tech Savvy At-Risk Youth on Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 2:59 PM

Savage Love iPhone App

The Tech Savvy At-Risk Youth—the "hygiene-challenged" young adults who created the Savage Lovecast and the new Savage Love iPhone app—are pleased to announce that Dan Savage's app (OUR APP!) has made it to the top ten apps in the wide-tent "Lifestyle" category. The Savage Love app peacefully coexists with Hail Mary, Vegan Recipe Finder, and Fart Machine Extreme.

All it would take to pass iKamasutra would be a few more people shelling out the $1.99 for the app. The Savage Love app makes the perfect wedding gift...

Oh, and it doesn't crash anymore. We fixed that. Because we're tech-savvy like that.

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Books Debunking E-Book Myths

Posted by Paul Constant on Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 2:51 PM

I don't usually link to blog posts with lists, but Nathan Bransford has posted ten common e-book myths, and reasons why they are simply not true. It's a smart post, and it answers most of the major concerns about e-books.

8. The reading world will be divided between those who can afford an e-reader and those who can't.

While I think this is a legitimate concern, over the long term: 1) I think the price of e-readers and multifunctional tablets are going to decline to the point of affordability for just about everyone, 2) print will still exist, 3) libraries will still exist, 4) e-books themselves will be cheaper than their print counterparts.

You should read the whole thing.

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