Comments

1
I am not surprised by any of it.
2
And here is one way to think about living with the Viaduct very very gracefully:
http://www.leviaducdesarts.com/
3
i heard a bit of it - I think she stood up to his blowhard idiocy fairly well.

what a shit job she has. Carrie Moon for SDOT secretary!

4
Isn't it funny how these types of projects could reach this point? Remember, we as voters never actually approved this, it was our representatives; Gregoire and the State Leg. We don't actually have a direct "say" in a representative democracy.
5
I can't believe any one would willingly talk to Dori Monson. The guy is a horrible bully!
6
Hey hows that monorail project going? Spend any money?
7
Dori Monson is a bastard. Anna should get a bonus for having to listen to him.

If the tunnel doesn't get finished, what do we do with all of that huge cylindrical empty space? Could we make it a giant doomsday shelter or something? Throw underground (get it?) parties in it? Make it a skatepark? A critter sanctuary? Affordable housing? What to do, oh what to do
8
What's that I hear off in the distance, Mike McGinn laughing?
9
+1 on the collective wisdom that Dori Monson is a dickhead.
10
1. Shut down the Tunnel.
2. Repair the Viaduct.
3. Put artists studio under the Viaduct as they did in Paris:
http://www.leviaducdesarts.com/
11
In the radio broadcast business, Dori Monson is what's known as a 'puker.'
12
@4: "Let's Move Forward"
13
Seattle voters did approve the tunnel project. It will eventually be completed. Projects this big often have delays. No need to go crazy.
14
None of you deserve my sweet, mocking tears.
15
"No." "No." "No." "No." "No." "FUCK! Allright already just leave me the fuck alone!" ≠ voter approval.
16
This seems like the kind of press gotcha that causes public officials to stop speaking like human beings. OF COURSE there's a "chance" they won't finish. That doesn't make any of the agencies involved less committed to completing it.
17
If the Gov actually cared about climate change, he'd cancel the Deep Carbon Tunnel which has double the emissions of the higher capacity Viaduct it "theoretically" will replace.

Today.

Before the EPA forces him to.
18
@13 off year primaries with low turnout don't count
19
@18 They sure seem to for transit.

Hey, I voted for McGinn…. Twice. The waterfront is a great biking thoroughfare now. With the the tunnel being stuck for the next 2-5 years, I use it all the time.
20
Good. I'm glad it may never get finished. It was an asinine idea to begin with.
1. Shut down the project.
2. Repair and retrofit the Viaduct.
3. Turn the hole that's left into a park or some kind of attraction and try to forget how stupid some people are.
4. Fucking MONORAIL.
21
Well WSDOT has been a clearing house for the Democrat Party in WA state for 30 years now, you expect competence?
22
Think Seattle voters really approved the tunnel?!?! Think again.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaskan_Way…

"State and city officials deadlocked in late 2006 over whether to build an elevated structure (the state's preference) or a hybrid tunnel (the city's preference). Governor Gregoire stated "no action" was not an option for the viaduct.[20] The state government called for an advisory ballot on March 13, 2007, for Seattle residents, which was supported by the city council. The advisory ballot allowed Seattleites to vote on whether they supported a surface-tunnel hybrid and whether they supported an elevated structure.[21] Voters rejected both options, with the surface-tunnel hybrid getting only 30% support and the elevated structure only 43%.[22]"
23
@10:
1. Meh, maybe. Not going to happen at this stage, however.
2. No. The Waterfront must be freed from the 20th century blight of the Viaduct.
3. That's a really dumb idea.
24
@ 23 You might want to reconsider, Max.

1. The Secretary just said that the Tunnel may not get finished. The way I see it, she is part of a dance in which both parties (STP and WSDOT) can bow it gracefully as possible. Do you really think that STP wants to go forward? Remember that Washington State defaulted on billions of WPPSS debt and we got away with it.

2. That sort of thinking is of a suburbanite who wants broad lawns and huge parking lots.

3. I think you can do better than "dumb idea" to explain why using the space underneath the Viaduct is not smart.
25
There is a 100% certainty of very little in life. This is not news, nor is it noteworthy. Fuck, it's not 100% certain that I'm going to make it home from work tonight; doesn't mean I shouldn't get on the bus and give it a go.
26
Just a tip, Stranger staffers: when you are on the same side of an issue as Dori Monson, it might be time to rethink your position.

also, it should be noted that JUST LIKE DORI, you ignored the big takeaway from the interview, the REAL reason she was there and the thing you have also been harping on: the taxpayers are not on the hook for overruns.

in fact, further proving that you are actually propagandists a la fox news, and not journalists, you left that section of the interview out ENTIRELY lest it contradict the meme you are hoping to say enough times to make true: "But for the major issue here, the fact that Bertha is stopped and it's a mechanical failure of some sort, that is on the contractor."

read that again: it's ON THE CONTRACTOR. that's your story. at least it was yesterday.
27
@26
Of course she is saying that contractor must pay.

But just think through the implications of STP having to pay:
1. does STP have the money?
2. does it leave ANY profit for STP if that $125 million (and at only 1000' in) is paid by STP?

This is the beginning of the end game for the Tunnel.
28
There's also a possibility that Godzilla could rise out of the ocean and destroy the city.... that doesn't mean it's going to actually happen. Look, the anti-tunnel folks will cheer and rub it in our faces while things look bad, and then the tunnel will get done in a couple years and be awesome and they will shut up. The end.
29
@27 -

1. does STP have the money to pay itself for overruns? is that what you are asking?

2. and should i give a fuck about their profits if they are unable to do what they promised? why? fuck STP. i don't care about them or their profits. they ate their profits by not reading the maps and driving into a metal post. i have no pity for them.

they are contracted to dig the tunnel. for a set amount.
if contracts mean anything in this country - and i guess we'll see - then they are on the hook. and because these metal things were documented and provided to STP ahead of time (PROTIP: a real journalist would go look at the original documents...), this is entirely STP's mistake.

so far, even with the year delay, the project is still on time. because they were originally planning to be that far ahead. it's also still on budget. and even it it weren't, the costs are not the responsibility of the citizens.

you all rooting so hard for this project to fail while criticizing the republicans for doing the same thing for obamacare is adorable.
30
The fact that Peterson sat there and told the truth actually makes me more optimistic for the project. That's not saying much at this point, granted, but it's something.
31
5 billion we could have spent to build out LINK. But, not a total loss. Let's use the Deep Bore Cavern (nee Tunnel) as a place to build high density urban apodments. Just stack them up all along the sides of the tube...even the ceiling. Have one street with a Tesla Flex Car that goes back and forth between two charging stations. Imagine waking up for work, and walking right out of a hole into downtown...more than enough time for coffee and a blintz.
32


Monson is a self bloviating #ucktard. He glees in the fact that the state may have screwed up. Frankly it is people like him that I wish would have to figure out how to get to work and not the roads that taxpayer money paid for. The MOFO blames government as the problem and does not take in to consideration the much of corporate America is to blame for the growing economic gap and are truly the biggest welfare queens.

I frankly think the state is lowering the expectations and will proceed at getting Bertha fixed ASAP without delay. I hope so. I want to see Monson eat his own POOH.

33
@29

If I thought you were actually listening I would answer your questions.
34

I, myself, am eagerly awaiting the f'ing awesome tunnel!

McGinn 2016!
35
Oh Dori....she's been a Seattle treasure ever since she started in radio back in 1937 (Her first show, "use more electricity or the Communists win!", was a cooking show sponsored by Puget Sound Power & Light. The recipes were dreadful, but it had that Stone & Webster money behind it)

She was always a bit off, but the last thirty years or so have been particularly bad.
36
I recall voting FOR the monorail 3, 4 times and the project was obviously never completed.

It's nice to know that voting AGAINST the tunnel will, also eventually, cause it to never be completed.

Doesn't matter how you vote. Nothing gets done.
37
There's a 100% chance that I'd never listen to Dori Monson.
38
dorky munson is a piece of shit. There is a reason why none of the State Legislators will give him an interview. He is an ignorant, negative asshole, and why KIRO keeps him on the noon to three spot bewilders me, there can't be that many ignorant republicans in this city that would listen to his vomit every day to keep the audience happy. He must have caught someone at the main office in a compromising situation with a goat or something, because he does not have any talent at all, not even in sports reporting.
39
@38 - Couldn't have said it better myself. I stopped listening to KIRO altogether because of his supreme assholitude. Not just 12-3, but 24/7. Never turned 710 on again, and I use to listen to it All. The. Time.
40
There are no longer any reasons that Mike McGinn is sorry he lost the election. He's looking better than any currently-serving elected official in this state.
41
Agree with #38. Haven't listened to 710 KIRO unless the Seahawks are on. Even then turn off pre, half, and post game show when the ignorant twunt is blabbering.
42
Strange that so many commenters care more about bashing Dori Monson than what Lynn Peterson had to say.
43
#42
It's partly a way to deflect the extremely bad news coming from the tunnel project, and partly the truth about Monson who's ratings do indeed help pay a good portion of the bills at KIRO radio. I and many others listen to his shtick sometimes to see what the other side is thinking - not for the faint of heart.
But I was aghast at Peterson's appalling presentation in this relatively friendly, softball interview. Unbelievable is an understatement. How on earth did she become Secretary of Transportation? She may have a shit job, but if she's as bad at managing the project as she was at explaining it, the "small chance" belongs to the likelihood it would ever succeed in the first place under her management. We are now so screwed on this thing.
44
COMPLETELY UNSURPRISED! They swore there would be little to no cost over run. It will be safe in an earthquake. It will move lots of traffic YA RIGHT!? I did not want that stupid tunnel. I signed every petition against it, I tried to vote it down. I tried to point out that most of it was speculation from rich people with real estate on the waterfront and those in power that could wheel and deal with state and federal money for a big contract jobs. A TUNNEL THAT WILL MOVE LESS TRAFFIC THAN THE BALLARD BRIDGE! This stupid tunnel that the UW geologists laugh at when questioned about its safety and say they won't ride in it. This is just another totally unsurprising turd in a shit storm of bad decisions made by our city council. VOTE EM OUT!
45
COMPLETELY UNSURPRISED! They swore there would be little to no cost over run. It will be safe in an earthquake. It will move lots of traffic YA RIGHT!? I did not want that stupid tunnel. I signed every petition against it, I tried to vote it down. I tried to point out that most of it was speculation from rich people with real estate on the waterfront and those in power that could wheel and deal with state and federal money for big contract jobs. A TUNNEL THAT WILL MOVE LESS TRAFFIC THAN THE BALLARD BRIDGE! This stupid tunnel that the UW geologists laugh at when questioned about its safety and say they won't ride in it. This is just another totally unsurprising turd in a shit storm of bad decisions made by our city council. VOTE EM OUT!
46
Name an exotic high-risk infrastructure solution where Hitachi Heavy Industries is the world leader and only credible vendor?

A) Big Tunnel Boring Systems
B) Commuter Monorails*
C) BOTH! Oh, the forehead-slapping irony in this thread.

---
* Bombardier is the #2, but their schtick is novelty-scale systems like Disney and Vegas. http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/MonoMf…
47
@46

What is the connection, if any, between Hitachi Heavy Industries and Hitachi Zosen?

(Hitachi Zosen is the company which built Bertha.)
48
@43

I thought Peterson did very well. Seemed as honest as she could be considering the likely law suits.
49
Yay! Fill in the tunnel, tear down the viaduct, construct a boulevard. Done.
50
I love Dori. He pisses off liberals.
51
@47: You're exactly right.

I'll strive to be less ignorant in the future.
52
@51

If you want to phrase it that way.
I was sincerely curious if the two were related.
53
Www.Facebook.com/viaduct
54
@17

That's funny, because RICHARD CONLIN told me back on April 13, 2011 the following:

"The tunnel actually effectively reduces carbon emissions – possibly more than the surface alternative that was my first choice for the replacement project, and that some environmentalists still support. The State decided not to attempt the surface alternative, because the tunnel has the advantage of ensuring that there will be a great park on the waterfront and that city streets and I-5 will not see increased congestion.

The tunnel immediately reduces highway capacity by 33% -- its four lanes replace the current Viaduct’s six. Because there will be no downtown exits, it nudges people towards using transit instead of cars for the journey to work, where congestion is worst and transit most available. Because traffic will flow smoothly through the tunnel, it further reduces emissions from idling vehicles. Both of these further reduce carbon emissions."

You see, the tunnel is actually more sustainable *because it only has four lanes* -- as opposed to six. And people will just zip along instead of idling in a traffic jam (like every other major route in the city during rush hour).

With environmental leadership like that, what could possibly go wrong?
55
The tunnel machine can easily be taken apart, and each piece walked out the completed end. Then it's a simple matter of bolting it back together, starting it up to make sure it works, then disassembling and re-assembling back in the tunnel. Should take two months tops.

Please wait...

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