The two remaining bidders vying to construct the deep-bore tunnel under downtown have submitted proposals to the state that come in at or below the $1.09 billion budget for this portion of the project, Governor Chris Gregoire announced at a waterfront press conference on October 29. However, the state won’t release the actual amount of those bids until mid-December, after highway workers have evaluated the proposals.
Fending off questions from reporters about the potential for cost overruns falling on Seattle as per state law, Gregoire said, “I am determined to get this project done on time and on budget.”
But Mayor Mike McGinn told reporters, “I don’t believe we can trust the governor.” The state has mostly drained its $415 million contingency fund that would pay for cost overruns and inflation by giving away $255 million in concessions to the bidders in recent weeks—both evidence that the state can’t cover overruns and proof the bids were artificially low, he said. 
1. The City, State and the US are out of Tax and Savings for Schools, Roads, Police, and Bridges. This tunnel requires a 5 billion debt, plus interest.
2. Have you seen the total tunnel Cost? Design, Seawall, Utilities, Contract, Overrun, Debt, Interest, Consultants, Insurance, Electricity, Maintenance, Lost travel time. No one else has seen the cost either.
3. Where will tunnel money come from? The Federal, State, County, Port, Tolls. Where do all of them get their money? From taxes. Every penny.
4. Does it matter who you pay the taxes too? Which politician is more efficient?
5. If the toll is high enough to pay the Debt where will you drive? What will happen to the idyllic waterfront boulevard?
5. The tunnel borer will be the largest ever built. In the world.
6. The contract says if the borer gets stuck the State must pay to fix it. Remember Brightwater? It took a year to free the borer and the contractor defaulted.
7. One major bidder is from Spain, they can use some profits.
8. The only selling point for a tunnel was construction would not interrupt traffic. Gregoire says the Viaduct will be torn down in 2012. Guess; that is when boring starts.
9. The Borer will go through the Viaduct foundations in the first 1/2 mile, then threaten 34 buildings downtown. Seattle will pay for reinforcing and repairs of the damage.
10. State Law; Seattle must pay for the overrun, Conlin had his fingers crossed when he signed.
11. The Borer cannot dig a shovelful until the Seawall /construction Dam is built. The tunnel will be over 50 feet underwater.
12. Seattle will pay for all of the access to the tunnel. How much is that?
13. The chance of the Viaduct failing from an earthquake is 5% in 50 years. That is .05/18250 days=0.00000274 risk per day. Death in your shower is more likely.