Click and behold the marketing genius of the new website launched yesterday by the so-called "Tunnel+Transit Coalition." Apparently a group of tunnel backers noticed that most Seattleites support transit, and so thought it would be a clever idea to re-brand the deep-bore tunnel project as "Tunnel+Transit."



There's only one flaw with that new moniker: The word "transit." Because to imply—as that name does---that the project comes anywhere close to being as much about transit as it is about roadways is slippery public relations at its finest.

So far, there has been zero funding allocated for transit in the tunnel plan.  As the Tunnel+Transit web page itself explains:

"The agreement signed by the governor, King County executive and Seattle mayor calls for the county to commit $190 million to Tunnel+Transit, mostly in the form of transit infrastructure and services, as well as $15 million a year for transit operations. None of these funds has been allocated as yet."

But what they conveniently neglect to mention is that the $190 million was to come from a new MVET that the State subsequently failed to authorize. King County then asked Gregoire to introduce a Governor request bill for the transit funding piece, but she said no.  She also refused to include the transit funding in the tunnel funding bill (the one with the infamous cost overrun provision).  And, lastly, Gregoire vetoed the $20 license fee for transit last year (though that would have only provided $26 million a year).

Even if the transit was fully funded it would only account for about five percent of the total projected cost of the project.

But wait, there's more: The web site touts Metro's RapidRide, likely leading most readers to believe that it is part of the tunnel package. But it isn't. RapidRide was already funded, primarily through the Transit Now sales tax.

And still more: The First Avenue streetcar is also listed as a transit component. But it is well known that that project is as good as dead.

But hey, never mind all these pesky details, say it with me now:

Tunnel+Transit!

Perhaps the authors of the web site started to feel a little less audacious by the time they got around to writing their FAQ. There, oddly enough, the description of the project doesn't even mention transit:

"It includes a deep bored tunnel for through-traffic, street improvements, seawall replacement, open space between downtown and the waterfront, and pedestrian and bicyclist amenities."

In any case, it will be fascinating to observe whether or not they are successful at their re-branding strategy. And it also begs the question: If the tunnel is a done deal, why bother with the new PR effort?

P.S. The Tunnel+Transit web site also repeats the myth that the surface option would create gridlock, but we'll save that for another post.