Will Seattle Learn from the I-35W Bridge Collapse?

Will Seattle learn from Wednesday's tragic I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis? The short answer is no.

Almost 20 years ago, the Loma Prieta earthquake woke Seattle up to the possibility that the Alaskan Way Viaduct was in danger. Today, there still isn't a plan to replace the aging structure, despite the very real possibility of structural failure. Meanwhile, the nearby 520 bridge, a vital link between Seattle and the Eastside, is nearing the end of it's lifespan, and must be closed during windstorms due to the age of the bridge.

Although design concerns have delayed the replacement of these two structures, mostly the issue has been one of cost. Replacement costs for the Alaskan Way Viaduct have ranged from $2 to $4 billion, while costs for a new 520 bridge will likely be in the range of $4 to $5 billion.

Neither of these projects are funded. They are, for some reason, not a priority for the region. Instead, a new, $17.8 billion transportation package is being put to a vote in November. (The $17.8 billion projected cost is a conservative estimate that excludes the cost of inflation.) The new package would spend $10.8 billion on the extension of Seattle's (still not operational) light rail system, leaving $7 billion for all other projects.

Thankfully, that $7 billion does include some money for a 520 replacement, plus a host of new interchanges and widenings around the Seattle metro area. But at the end of the day, after we've committed $17.8 billion to a new regional transportation plan, we still don't have funding to replace either the Alaskan Way Viaduct or the 520 Bridge. We do, however, have a $10 billion light rail package that hopes to help serve 370,000 daily public transit users by 2030. That figure includes people riding buses, and those who would switch from bus to mass transit.

Does this seem like a good use of public money? $10 billion for a train? Meanwhile, Seattle's aging structures will still be in danger of collapse. Maybe the people of Seattle ought to rethink their priorities. There's work to do. We can play with our trains later.