Tunnel comments wanted

Since the Legislature in 2009 endorsed building a bored tunnel to replace Seattle’s aging Alaskan Way Viaduct, the state transportation department has engaged the public in dozens of community forums as it plans how best to move forward with the project. If you’ve missed them, don’t worry—the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is hosting three more opportunities in Seattle this week for citizens to learn about the project’s environmental impact and provide comments. The first one is tonight:

Nov. 16 - 6 to 8 p.m. at Madison Middle School, (3429 45th Ave. SW)

Nov. 17 - 6 to 8 p.m. at Ballard High School (1418 NW 65th St.)

Nov. 18 - 5 to 7 p.m. at Plymouth Church (1217 Sixth Ave.)

In late October, WSDOT published a draft of the tunnel’s environmental impact statement, triggering a 45-day public comment period that lasts until Dec. 13. Written and verbal comments will be accepted at the three public hearings, or they can be emailed to awv2010SDEIScomments@wsdot.wa.gov. Comments become part of the project’s public record and will be addressed in the final report, expected in mid-2011. More info about this week’s events is here.

Because of our election-year hiatus, we haven’t been able to cover the developments of the viaduct-replacement project recently, but much has happened over the summer and fall. Check out WSDOT’s project page for the scoop.