Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire says she'll decide within
the next four weeks which option she'll back when it comes to replacing Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct, which carries Highway 99 along the city's waterfront.
Seattle's mayor and City Council want to replace the aging
viaduct with a tunnel. State officials have said that would cost more than $4.5
billion.
But others - including a group of 30 Democrats in the
Washington House of Representatives - want a new, elevated highway, which would
cost an estimated $2.8 billion.
A letter from the Democrats to the governor said a tunnel
"is a luxury the taxpayers can't afford."
