smoke and mirrors

When Seattle Voters are given the choice next spring on replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct with either a new viaduct (mostly funded) or a tunnel (largely unfunded), I hope the costs and cost risks are defined accurately.

By my calculations, the $1.8 billion tunnel surcharge amounts to $3,150 per person for every man, woman and child Seattle resident. That is pre-cost-overrun. And, cost overruns are almost inevitable based on project construction history.

Readers, hold onto your collective wallets and checkbooks. Within a year or so the tri-county Regional Transportation Investment District is coming calling for another $12 billion or so for I-405, 520, Sound Transit, among other projects.

Unfortunately, this reflects many years of failure to maintain and upgrade our infrastructure compounded by significant population growth - we've heard it all before. Catching up is going to be a financially demanding and painful process. Each Seattle voter will have to decide how much they can afford and what a reasonable value trade-off will be.

Hopefully, voters will see through the campaign BS, smoke and mirrors, and make an accountable decision - this promises to be an intense expensive campaign. By the way, let's make sure Greg and the City Council don't use tax money to promote their tunnel option.

Tobey Wilkins

Ballard