As a self-imposed 2009 deadline nears regarding whether to rebuild or raze the 55-year-old Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle, a consensus seemss far off.
In early December, a task force whittled down a list of eight design options to two: a six-lane boulevard or a reconfigured elevated highway. The former option, a six-lane waterfront boulevard resembling San Francisco’s Embarcadero, would cost $2.2 billion. With related Interstate 5 work, mass transit and other projects, that amount increases to $3.3 billion and would take 5.5 years to build. The other option, twin bridges, would cost $2.3 billion. After traffic mitigation and related projects, that figure climbs to $3.5 billion and could be completed in 6.5 years, if the viaduct is partially shut down during construction, and in 8.5 years if the viaduct is not shut down.