FOR THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF WEST SEATTLE AND OUR REGION THIS PROJECT MUST PROCEED.

It has been almost ten years since the Nisqually quake severely damaged the Alaskan Way viaduct. Since that time we in West Seattle and in the rest of the city have debated the pros and cons of
a) repairing or replacing the existing elevated roadway,
b) digging a cut and cover tunnel and improving surface streets, transit and the central waterfront
c) drilling a deep bored tunnel and improving the surface streets, transit and central
waterfront or
d) taking the old viaduct down and just improving the surface streets, transit, 1-5 and central waterfront. In 2007 the citizens of our fair city voted against both option
a) repairing or replacing the existing elevated roadway and
option b) digging a cut and cover tunnel.

Since that time, and through a process that involved substantial debate, meetings and compromise, our elected representatives, which included the Mayor, the County Executive, the Governor and the State Legislature along with a stakeholders group of about two dozen representatives of interested constituencies, including the Port of Seattle, came to an agreement and a funding mechanism, to construct option c) a deep bored tunnel with improvements to the surface streets, transit and the central waterfront.

After substantial study it was determined that option d), improvement ofsurface streets, transit and 1-5 alone, would not work. The surface street option would cause major traffic gridlock along the waterfront, further congest an already congested 1-5 corridor, halt the movement of freight in and out ofthe Port of Seattle, and back up traffic from all parts of the city trying to get to and through downtown. For our peninsula it was shown that
option d) would cause both economic and personal gridlock.

The different options have been researched and debated. The funding has been provided for if we move forward now and will be used for other projects ifwe do not. The deep bored tunnel project will bring new jobs to our community, not just during construction, but after its completion in the form ofnew development ofboth existing and new businesses (i.e. Boeing's announcement ofexpansion of its R&D facilities on E. Marginal Way) The danger of the viaduct being destroyed in another earthquake with attendant damage and destruction to life and property is real. Yet here we are debating this again.

Contact your elected officials and give them your support for moving forward. Make those that object to this project justify the cost of doing nothing. For the economic and personal vitality of West Seattle and our city we need to stand up and say enough. For the economic and personal vitality of West Seattle our city we need to get this project built.

West Seattle Chamber of Commerce
Jerome O. Cohen, Chairman