ALLIED ARTS :: WATERFRONT

Viaduct Environmental Impact Statement Comments

AWV Project Office
Allison Ray
999 Third Avenue, Suite 2424
Seattle, Washington 98104

May 31, 2004

Dear Ms Ray:

Allied Arts commends WSDOT, the City of Seattle and the Federal Highway Administration for their initial work to analyze the environmental impacts regarding changes to the downtown Seattle waterfront, as well as to guide the process our region is taking toward redevelopment of this neighborhood. We also consider the Draft EIS and associated comments to be just one step in a series of necessary input opportunities and collective decisions.

Our position regarding the Alaskan Way corridor is that all through-Seattle traffic should travel underground from Atlantic Street into the Battery Street Tunnel and that Alaskan Way should receive no net gain in roadway. (Though technically Alaskan Way includes the area below the viaduct, our definition refers to the three to four lane arterial.)

Since none of the five alternatives accomplish these goals, it is with some reluctance that we support the cut and cover tunnel alternative. Only this "tunnel optionî comes close to creating a waterfront as a destination and not just a transportation corridor.

Having monitored the public discussion regarding the future of the waterfront for close to three years, we find that the DEIS would be significantly more meaningful if it approached its relevant issues using different questions, specifically:

• Instead of asking what "What type of transportation infrastructure should replace the viaduct?î the DEIS should answer, "What uses should we have for the land on the waterfront?î
• Instead of "How many cars and trucks need to move through the Alaskan Way corridor?î the DEIS should answer, "How many people and how much freight do we need to move through the full downtown corridor?î
• In addition to asking, "How can we reconstruct the seawall to make the land safe?î the DEIS should answer, "How can the seawall improve marine habitat?î

We ask that as you further study the opportunities for the waterfront that you also analyze and address the following considerations:

Pike Place Market to Waterfront Lid
The tunnel option includes a new viaduct from Pine to Battery. Extensive analysis should be made to develop a pedestrian descent over SR 99 from Virginia, south, to Alaskan Way.

Belltown to Waterfront Connection
A new viaduct from Virginia to Battery (as in the tunnel option) poses a significant barrier between the well-populated Belltown neighborhood and the waterfront. In addition to other clever solutions, lidding and under-viaduct structures should be considered as means to develop pedestrian comfort and wayfinding.

Pioneer Square Land Bridge
The tunnel portal near Pioneer Square would also be a significant barrier to healthy neighborhood connections. A land bridge arching over the portal that diminishes the horizontal gap should be considered.

Center City Land Bridge
Consideration should be given to a one- to three-block long land bridge over Alaskan Way somewhere between Yesler and Pike that would enable pedestrians to get to the water's edge from Western Avenue without crossing traffic. The space along Alaskan Way between Spring and Pike streets is a prime opportunity.

Southern Tunnel Portal
Analysis should be given toward moving the southern portal to the tunnel to a point south of Atlantic Street.

Tunnel Capacity
Based on a re-knitted downtown street grid, analysis should be given to diminishing the number of lanes in the cut and cover tunnel option from six down to four.

Access Road
We challenge the need for the access road as presented in the cross-section diagram for the tunnel option. Analysis should be given to providing delivery access from the curb of Alaskan Way, in keeping with the style along the other downtown avenues.

Tourist and School Bus Holding Area
A parking station for busses away from the waterfront should be considered, such that they need only load and unload and not park on Alaskan Way.

No net Increase in Speed on Alaskan Way
The speed limit on Alaskan Way should be no more than 30 mph. Traffic lights should be set to move traffic between 22 and 28 mph„again, in accordance with other downtown avenues.

Distribute Additional Traffic Among All Downtown Avenues
As changes are made to SR 99, any additional traffic directed to the surface should be spread equally among all of the downtown avenues. I-5 should also be considered as an alternative for increased capacity, especially if it is reconfigured.

Pier Acquisition
The center city piers (48 Æ 70) are in dire need of repair or removal and the businesses located on the piers are more than likely to suffer from the deconstruction and construction process. Economic, environmental and cultural considerations should be analyzed regarding acquiring the piers and mitigating re-location of the businesses located on them. Plans for the new seawall and traffic infrastructure should fully consider the possibilities of a reconfiguration of the piers and businesses located on the waterfront.

Economic Analysis
The DEIS lacks an analysis of the economic ramifications to the waterfront neighborhood that compares the five DEIS alternatives. A full study should be made using both an analysis of the Seattle waterfront, current and future, as well as a review of other cities' waterfronts, post highway removal.

Housing Analysis
Analysis should be made of future opportunities for housing in adjacent neighborhoods and along the waterfront regarding the impact of traffic infrastructure.

Pedestrian Analysis
Analysis should be made of the ease of pedestrian mobility on the street-level, both east-west and north-south. Location of pedestrian promenade should be analyzed.

Skybridges
Skybridges are the equivalent of pedestrian viaducts and should be avoided entirely.

Marine Habitat Analysis
Analysis should be made of increasing salmon and marine-life habitat by at least 30% along construction areas.

Relocate Trolley
Analysis should be made of moving Streetcar 99 to Western from Alaskan Way. A Western Avenue streetcar would better link neighborhoods to the waterfront and provide more space for destinations on the waterfront.

One Great Downtown Park
Analysis should be made of identifying a space for a large, center city park, located south of Pike.

Construction Timeline and Costs
Consideration and analysis should be made of the option of closing SR 99 for the duration of construction and absorbing traffic flow through a re-knitted downtown street grid.

Access to the Olympic Sculpture Park
Pedestrian access to the new Olympic Sculpture Park should be prioritized over vehicular detours and flyovers. The Broad Street underpass beneath the railroad tracks should be excluded from the FEIS.

Conclusion
In conclusion, we recognize that the major landowners along the waterfront are each public entities, holding the land in the public trust. We call upon WSDOT, the City of Seattle, the Port of Seattle and the Department of Natural Resources to work cooperatively, as well as to value and consider the quality of life aspects of our new waterfront that are otherwise out of their stated missions.

The Seattle waterfront has a long tradition of making bold changes to meet the needs of Washingtonians. Just as we poured Denny Hill onto our shoreline and constructed a viaduct along the waterfront last century, we should not miss this once in a century opportunity to make the waterfront a legacy that will bring pride to Seattleites and Washingtonians of the future.

Sincerely,

David Yeaworth
President
Allied Arts of Seattle