Cities on a Hill contributor Dominic Moreo writes in with the latest from Seattle, where a new "advisory" mail-in ballot will register what voters would like, if anything, to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the aging elevated expressway that separates much of downtown Seattle from Elliott Bay. Governor Gregiore supports the construction of a new viaduct, while Mayor Greg Nickels is calling for the city to "tear this wall down", and replace it with a four lane tunnel. Both proposals have separate lines, so that voters can actually approve both competing plans, or more likely, follow the advise of the alt-weekly Seattle Stranger and vote no and hell no. Not that a yes vote will necessarily amount to much in a city that's had four referenda supporting light rail over 25 years, and still no light rail system.

Morreo warns that "The mountains of ink and TV coverage in this He Says, She Says (and they say no) saga would be funny were it not so indicative of political failure. Repaving of roads, new bridges and arterials, etc. are the infrastructure that make a city vibrant but require political leadership. At the moment, even filling potholes ranks very low in Seattle."