“Celebrated replacement”? I mean, I just walked through the new tunnel for it’s public opening as a curiosity, but I’m not sure it’s celebrated per se.
Don’t get me wrong, I am delighted to see the viaduct go, but I’m not sure the replacement is needed, or really a replacement. I also think that they’re essentially building a surface level highway along the waterfront, which to me diminishes what could have been a truly world-class waterfront.
Alaskan Way was a busy 4 lane road prior to the seawall replacement project and SR-99 construction, the two addes lanes are dedicated for busses.
Really wish we had kept rail along this alignment (rather than letting Seattle Art Museum destroy the waterfront trolley), but short of that we are stuck with making busses fast and reliable.
Wrt cutting this down to 1 lane in either direction for regular cars, in the context of the ferry queues clogging Alaskan Way currently, narrowing the road would create a waterfront parking lot between ferries.
Running the park down the middle of the road would be enjoyable, Portland has a few nice parks of that style
This freeway removal project was generally considered a success, I know I rather enjoyed the benefits of the new waterfront park in Portland when I was younger. Lots of good memories!
What I've seen on my commute (ferry terminal to South Lake Union) is that with the viaduct closed, there were much fewer trips (the ferries were very empty), but a lot more congestion on surface streets.
It's always hard to say what's needed, but I suspect the tunnel will be well used.
Seattle's waterfront is a bit different from Boston's but the Big Dig which was a much more complicated predecessor of this project was well worth it. I have been very critical of the Rose Kennedy Greenway for a variety of reasons but it is so much better than the hulking monster that was the Central Artery.
Don’t get me wrong, I am delighted to see the viaduct go, but I’m not sure the replacement is needed, or really a replacement. I also think that they’re essentially building a surface level highway along the waterfront, which to me diminishes what could have been a truly world-class waterfront.