In Friday’s Seattle Times, our County Kingpin weighed in on the viaduct issue. His take: Any solution, whether it’s a tunnel, a rebuild, or his (and my) preferred surface option, must include transit improvements.

The folks at Metro have identified 49 strategic investments that, if implemented, would reduce car trips on the viaduct by about 35,000 (roughly 30% of current trip levels). Said Sims:

Removing 35,000 trips helps make the “tunnel lite” option viable, which saves more than $1 billion from the original tunnel estimate. Removing 35,000 trips should allow for a smaller rebuild, which should save many hundreds of millions of dollars. And transit that absorbs 35,000 trips is essential to seriously contemplating any surface option.

Yep.

And more:

Therefore, rather than simply wait for the March vote on the viaduct options, we should all work together during the legislative session to take whatever steps are necessary to make these 49 investments a reality.

Yes, please! And to the folks in Olympia: If you get on a roll, don’t feel obligated to stop at 49. I’m good with 59, or 79, or any of the fast-food-value-menu numbers.

(Note to self: Never write a blog entry after reminiscing with an old friend about your broke college days.)