Nickels presents vision for waterfront

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels on Wednesday rolled out his vision for a waterfront makeover, including a 70-foot-wide promenade and terraced walkway leading down from Pike Place Market, which hinges on the Alaskan Way Viaduct being replaced by a tunnel.

While still vague, and full of lofty hopes for "a feeling of sinuosity" and "activity zones," Nickels said he was sending the 91-page framework to the City Council in hopes of getting $250,000 for further planning for a viaductless waterfront.

Peter Steinbrueck, who heads the council's urban-development committee, said he likes the mayor's vision. But Steinbrueck said he viewed Nickels' news conference Wednesday as a campaign stunt, promoting the mayor's desire to replace the earthquake-damaged viaduct with a $4 billion tunnel.

"It's premature," Steinbrueck said. "There are many decisions to be made and costs to be paid for."

The council is expected to decide in September how to fix or replace the viaduct.

Some council members oppose a tunnel and some believe the issue should be put to voters in November.

Nickels favors an election. "I'm pushing hard for the people to have a say in an advisory ballot," he said.

While he acknowledged the steep price of a tunnel, Nickels said Seattle faces a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reclaim the waterfront" from vehicle traffic.

Neighborhood activists, including former Councilman Charlie Chong, fear the tunnel would siphon taxpayer funds from other city needs. They plan to meet tonight to start a campaign against such a project.

One of the group's organizers, affordable-housing advocate John Fox, has filed a complaint with the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, charging that Nickels' push for a tunnel violates a city rule that prohibits officials from using public resources for campaigning.

The commission does not comment on pending complaints.

But it has ruled in the past that the ban on campaigning doesn't start until the council announces an election, or a citizen initiative is filed with the city.

Nickels has said he would be "very respectful" of the rules once they kick in.

While the mayor's plan focuses mainly on broad goals and lacks details such as a budget, it includes several specific recommendations, such as creating a 19-acre "pearl necklace" of open spaces along the waterfront dotted with public art, lush landscaping and viewpoints.

The most prominent feature would be a promenade stretching from South King to Pike streets that would be built on top of the tunnel.

If the viaduct were torn down, a new four-lane Alaskan Way would be shifted east, below where the viaduct now stands.

"The quality of the experience would be a sea change from what it is today," said city planning director John Rahaim, predicting the waterfront would offer a more festive atmosphere and better connections to downtown under the plan.

Bob Young: 206-464-2174 or byoung@seattletimes.com