Helen Sommers: An Oral History

Chapter 24
2009 Session begins
without Helen Sommers
Monahan: In the 2009 session – the first session in 36
years in which you were no longer a member of the
House – the Legislature approved and the Governor
signed the creation of an underground tunnel to
replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct. It was 2001 when
the Nisqually Earthquake put the Viaduct at great
risk, and you have long been a proponent of fixing
the Viaduct before another earthquake caused even
greater problems for Seattle and King County. Each
year you focused your committee and your legislative
efforts to resolve the concerns for the Viaduct. What
are your thoughts on the 2009 session legislation on
the Viaduct?
Representative Sommers: I’ve never been an enthusiast
of the concept of the tunnel – for several reasons.
There’s no more spectacular view of the waterfront
than from the Viaduct! You cannot get the same view
from the ground. You don’t get anywhere near the
view or the grasp of the beauty of the Sound, the
water and the ships! This is my personal opinion so
I supported a major repair of the existing Viaduct
as it stands.
The underground tunnel leaves a lot of major questions
for me. As I understand it now, the Viaduct will
go underground downtown along 1 st or 2 nd Avenues,
with entrances in SODO near the stadiums and over
by Mercer Street, in the Seattle Center area.
The early discussion had focused on the tunnel
virtually at the water’s edge, the ‘cut and cover tunnel.’
That concept was of great concern to me. But, still,
construction below sea level has huge complications
including the need to build a major sea-wall. With
the construction of a tunnel, there’s the question of
earthquakes in our area. There is the probability
of future major earthquakes. So I’ve never been a
proponent of the tunnel, but that is the direction it
appears to be going. I just want what’s best for Seattle.
The Alaskan Way Viaduct, looking southeast