Washington Governor Chris Gregoire has vowed to dismantle Seattle's crumbling inner city freeway in 2012, putting extra pressure on transportation planners, local officials and the public to agree a replacement solution.
"'It's coming down in 2012. I'm taking it down -- the middle,' she said, referring to the elevated portion of the span that runs roughly from Battery Street Tunnel to Pioneer Square, which has been the most vexing and controversial piece of the transportation puzzle."
"That's the timeline. I'm not going to fudge on it. And if we don't have some alternative by then, boy are we going to have a mess on our hands because it's coming down.'"
"Asked if she, as governor, could trump the state's largest city and county and unilaterally tear down a highway that carries more than 100,000 vehicles a day through the heart of Seattle, Gregoire said:"
"'Yeah, watch me.'"
FULL STORY: Gregoire: 'Watch me' tear down the viaduct
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