Reject Referendum 1 Reject the Tunnel

Referendum 1 is your opportunity to tell politicians that you want them to reject the tunnel. The state plans to choose the most expensive – and riskiest – option possible. Now, studies reveal the proposed tunnel fails the citizens of Seattle in every way. The tunnel will:

  • make traffic worse with $7-9 tolls forcing tens of thousands of cars onto city streets
  • raise taxes to cover the $700 million shortfall in the budget
  • leave Seattle taxpayers liable for cost overruns
  • include no transit

Put simply, the tunnel is a terrible idea. The tunnel doesn’t align with our progressive values, doesn’t fit our budget, and makes it harder to get around. It’s time to reject the tunnel. Rejecting Referendum 1 would tell the city council not to authorize the state to build the tunnel. Join us to reject Referendum 1.

Environmental Impact Statement Predicts Tolled Bored Tunnel Makes Congestion Worse Downtown

SEATTLE – Today, volunteers from Protect Seattle Now set up a toll booth next to the entry of the Battery Street Tunnel during the morning commute to share information with drivers about the impacts of tolls on the tolled bored tunnel.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement on the tolled bored tunnel, released last week, shows $5 tolls in 2016, when the tunnel opens, will divert up to 55% of traffic onto city streets. That’s 15,000 additional cars per day in neighborhoods like Pioneer Square and Lower Queen Anne.

Further analysis using state data shows that this congestion would be worse than if an earthquake took down the viaduct and it was not replaced.

“The report shows that when you toll a single corridor that is surrounded by a free city street grid, drivers will choose the free city streets instead,” said Sierra Club volunteer Kevin Fullerton, speaking on behalf of the campaign. “This tolling plan is designed to cause congestion – not manage it.”

The State’s proposed $4.2 billion tolled tunnel project to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct has a $700 million funding deficit. The tolls are proposed to generate $400 million in funding to cover part of the deficit.

The FEIS also outlines strategies for mitigating the congestion caused by tolling including investments in transit and street grid improvements, but the project has no funding identified for any of these mitigation measures.

“Last night hundreds of Seattleites rallied together to fight to save our existing transit service in the face of nearly 20% cuts,” said Ben Schiendelman, Spokesperson for Protect Seattle Now. “This project currently funds ZERO transit. If you can’t afford a $5 toll for a 2 mile trip, there won’t be a bus to get you where you need to go.”

Seattle residents will have a chance to weigh in on the tolled tunnel project by voting on Referendum 1 in the August Primary.

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