go surface transit

I've been finding this whole debate pretty insteresting, and am looking forward to seeing what you Seattlites (non-bindingly) vote for. Some interesting factors: owners of waterfront condos would all love to see either the surface option or tunnel win, as they will suddenly have unobstructed waterfront views; the maritime industry and West Seattlites are convinced they need the giant rebuild; environmentalists and the tourism industry would like the surface option. To be perfectly selfish, I would love to see the surface option go through, just so we would have more money to spend on public transit and to a lesser degree the 520 widening (screw all the rich people in Madison Park!)

Btw, doesn't anyone realize that voting on urban planning is silly?

great point, though I think non-binding opinion polls are still a good idea

the waterfront condo point is interesting. N of Battery St it's already a tunnel. S of Battery there's not a lot of big condo buildings, except for maybe Harbor Steps (and if I recall how it looks, most of the residential space is above viaduct level.). Would new buildings near the water block more of the view than the existing viaduct?

Definitely the water-view condo people won't go for the bigger rebuild option.

I wonder if they've figured out the height limits/building codes for the surrounding land. Have the big developers/land owners gone for any specific option?

If they were to go with the surface route, it would be really disappointing if city zoning laws didn't prevent a bunch of new condos from going up.

too many double negatives...

if anything I imagine there will be a boom in Pioneer Square. There are lots of viaduct-view parking garages that will suddenly be water-view.