Over at the PI.com, Grygiel has the news that state Sen. Ed Murray's tunnel oversight bill passed the senate this morning. The bill passed unanimously.

The bill creates a panel that would:

•Be made up of experts in fields like urban planning, engineering finance, environmental impact analysis, transportation technology and economics.

•Be selected jointly by the chairs of the House and Senate transportation committees, the Speaker of the House, the Senate Majority Leader, the secretary of transportation and the governor.

•Give technical review of the financial plan and project implementation assumptions for the construction of the deep-bore tunnel.

•Report every six months to the transportation committees and to the governor’s Alaskan Way Viaduct Oversight Committee until the project is complete.

Sen. Murray talked about his bill at PubliCola's tunnel debate —where Murray, a tunnel fan, squared off against premiere tunnel critic, Mayor Mike McGinn.

Speaking of Mayor McGinn, this legislation, just speculating here,  could also be titled the Murray for mayor act.