Currently, the Seattle area has a fairly good network of streets and highways.

The second most important north-south highway through Seattle (second to Interstate 5) is state route 99 (formerly US 99). SR99 enters Seattle from the north using Aurora Avenue North, then at the north part of the downtown area it goes underground into the Battery Street Tunnel following under Battery Street southwesterly to the waterfront, where it surfaces onto the Alaskan Way Viaduct, a two-level elevated structure that follows parallel to Alaskan Way southwesterly beyond the downtown area.

The Viaduct was built in the early 1950s and in the past decade or so has shown signs of deterioration and has needed increased maintenance. In 2001 there was a major earthquake (the Nisqually Earthquake) that caused some minor damage to the Viaduct and also caused parts of it to sink up to a few inches in places. Engineers from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) have expressed concern that the Viaduct could be seriously damaged or even collapse in the event of another major earthquake and urge replacement.

During the past few years there has been an ongoing controversy over how to deal with the Viaduct issue. Many people are in favor of retaining a viaduct along the waterfront, either by renovating the existing viaduct or by tearing it down and replacing it with a new viaduct.

There are many other people who want to tear down the viaduct to “open up the waterfront,” believing that the viaduct is an eyesore, blocks the view of the water from downtown, and takes up space that should be used to beautify the waterfront. There are many different suggestions from people who want the viaduct removed, including tunnels, diverting traffic to surface streets, improved public transportation, and increasing the capacity of Interstate 5.

In early January the State made a decision to bore a deep tunnel under the downtown area from just south of downtown to Aurora Avenue North. This has triggered a new wave of controversy. The three main objections are the high cost, there will be no access in Downtown, and there will be no connection to Elliott Avenue West, a main route to northwest Seattle, and which currently has a connection to the Viaduct.

For my opinions about the Viaduct including the new bored tunnel proposal, please click here.