New urgency on viaduct repairs

As reported here, [a] chunk of Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct is sinking -- again.

One section has settled deeper into the waterfront fill it sits on, the state said Wednesday, perhaps adding more pressure to begin much-debated repairs on the 53-year-old structure.

Vertical supports between Columbia Street and Yesler Way sank another quarter-inch into the ground since March, according to measurements taken during a semi-annual inspection last weekend, state officials said.

The structure, built in the 1950s, remains safe to drive on with current restrictions on trucks and buses, but will need repairs if the same supports sink another 1.25 inches.

"It continues to reinforce our assessment that this structure is at risk and that we need to really move ahead with (a) replacement," said state project manager Ron Paananen.

State officials think the settling was at least partly caused by the Nisqually Quake in February 2001. [This is misleading, in that State officials know that the settling was caused by the Nisqually earthquake. Apparently, Larry Lange hasn't been reading his own articles!]

Seattle city officials agree the structure needs to go and think a waterfront tunnel should replace it, but many others disagree. Gov. Chris Gregoire is expected to decide next month which option should be pursued.

The latest news prompted Mayor Greg Nickels to repeat that "time is running out on this deteriorating structure. ... The latest settling highlights the need to get moving on replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct with the preferred option of the city -- a cut-and-cover tunnel."

This is one issue where I am in agreement with Mayor Nichols. The Alaskan Way Viaduct is a disaster waiting to happen, and we need to do something about it now. Not tomorrow, not next week, not next month - NOW! We've had enough studies on this; we know it is going to fail, whether that failure is caused by another earthquake, or just heavy rains which we get here from time to time, does not matter. IT IS GOING TO FAIL. PERIOD!

I just hope that we do something about this before an untold number of the approximately 110,000 vehicles with people in them, have to suffer the consequences of our inaction, if it fails before we "get around to it."

Christine, you need to move up your timetable for making a decision.