Rossi Transportation Plan

SEATTLE – Republican Dino Rossi is living a transportation fantasy – full of inaccurate and misleading numbers, incorrect assumptions and based on a form of arithmetic that a third-grader could debunk.

“Republican Dino Rossi is living in a land of make-believe,” said Washington State Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Pelz. “Rossi has taken one of the most serious issues in Washington state and offered a fantasy transportation plan with made-up numbers, trying to fool Washingtonians – and we simply can’t trust Rossi with our transportation future.”

Rossi’s Fantasy Land: Independent transportation experts have already dismissed Rossi’s plan as “complete silliness.” Today’s Seattle Times:

“Mark Hallenbeck, director of the Washington state Transportation Center at the University of Washington, said Rossi's numbers are ‘completely divorced from reality.’"

“"He lowballs almost all the estimates and never says where all the funds are going to come from. It's a political statement. It's complete silliness,’ Hallenbeck said.”

In addition, Rossi’s transportation fantasy includes the following major, fatal flaws:

Rossi’s 520 Fantasy: We can build an eight-lane 520 bridge for less than a six-lane bridge.

Reality: Not only does this defy common sense, it is factually incorrect. Every Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) cost estimate shows construction of an eight-lane bridge is more expensive than a six-lane bridge. WSDOT has determined that billions of additional dollars in construction would be required to build new lanes on I-5 and I-405 to relieve the additional congestion created by an eight-lane 520 bridge, costs that Rossi doesn’t factor into his eight-lane cost estimate. WSDOT also notes that major demolition of downtown Seattle buildings would be required to construct new lanes on I-5 to accommodate an eight-lane 520 bridge, costs and impacts Rossi does not account for. [Seattle PI, 4/13/2004]

Rossi’s Alaskan Way Viaduct Fantasy: My plan could build a “tunnel-lite” replacement for the Alaskan Way Viaduct for $2.7 billion.

Reality: No detailed cost estimate of the City of Seattle’s proposed “tunnel-light” Viaduct replacement has been performed by the state. Where did Rossi get his number? Additionally, City of Seattle voters rejected the construction of a tunnel replacement for the Viaduct in March of 2007. Furthermore, WSDOT has rejected the “tunnel-light” design as unsafe. [WSDOT]

Rossi’s Sound Transit Fantasy: We can use east King County’s Sound Transit money to build highway lanes.

Reality: Rossi says he doesn’t want the state to meddle in local transit decisions, yet Rossi’s plan does exactly that. By redirecting Sound Transit revenue set aside for east King County transit projects, Rossi’s plan violates current Sound Transit policy and would require a public vote. Current Sound Transit policy prohibits expenditure of transit revenue to construct highway HOV lanes and revenue can only be expended on transit projects that have been approved by voters. By siphoning off east King County’s transit funding, Rossi’s is telling eastside residents to say goodbye to their desire for light rail and improved express bus service.

“Gov. Gregoire is delivering real results after years of transportation neglect that was the result of Republican Dino Rossi and his GOP allies’ refusal to invest in transportation in the 1990’s,” added Pelz. “Throughout his career, Rossi has exerted zero leadership and was a major roadblock in Olympia to transportation improvements. Gov. Gregoire has her foot firmly planted on the gas pedal, completing safety and congestion relief projects that will get our state moving again. Washington can’t trust Rossi to continue with the historic progress we are making in taking on transportation challenges.”

For more information on Rossi's transportation plan, visit The Real Dino Rossi