Even though we can't save the viaduct, we can save our spectacular view. Initiative 123 locates our downtown waterfront park promenade up where the best view is, where the most beauty is, where the greatest value and public benefit is and where the most people will be attracted to visit.

The SDOT plan for the downtown waterfront locates the wide park promenade down on the street level of Alaskan Way between the freight route arterial and the touristy amusements on the piers where views are very limited and the tone is decidedly commercial. The commercial uses there are very seasonal so a big wide boardwalk there will be extremely hard to program and will be empty much of the year as it is now, but bigger.

Initiative 123 puts the promenade up where the view is on a brand new garden bridge. It's peacefully above the traffic where you can see over the piers to the spectacular Northwest territorial view of the mountains and Elliott Bay on one side and the entire downtown skyline on the other. Alaskan Way Elevated Park would be an inspiring and elegant park promenade with spectacular views and acres of gardens.

Like Green Lake, everyone will go there all the time to enjoy the view, get some exercise, gather with friends and family, tool around on bikes with the kids, people watch, take the dog for a walk, have a picnic or to just to go check if the mountain is out. Those park visitors will activate the boardwalk, Pike Place Market and downtown businesses all year round.

Alaskan Way Elevated Park will outperform the street level promenade in every way, create an amazing asset for Seattle and won't cost more or hold up the waterfront projects.

Remember, it's not Alki down along Alaskan Way.

The views down at street level feature a lot of trucks and cars and commercial buildings. It's hard to see the water or the mountains.

Up at 55', the view is a muse. It's a breathtaking panorama.

In our focus groups, every single person said that they prefer the elevated view over the street level view for our downtown waterfront promenade. Many admitted to taking that route coming into town from the airport with friends and relatives just to show off the view. Imagine that.
So while the viaduct has to go, let's make our public park investment up where we can capture the superior beauty, value and public benefit of that elevated view we've enjoyed for over 60 years.

Alaskan Way Elevated Park. We'll see you there.

Visit the new website to learn more about Initiative 123 - just scroll down the ABOUT page. Read rebuttals to NO arguments at the FAQ page.
From the Vote YES on 123 campaign trail...

We've sure come a long way in three years. With your help, we've strategically invested cash and in-kind donations into the BuroHappold Feasibility Study, the Talmadge + Fitzpatrick legal work to draft the initiative and then the petition circulation last summer when over 30,000 Seattle voters signed on.

Right now we're reaching voters through social media and we're thrilled with the tremendous outpouring of support over at our Facebook page @alaskanwayelevatedpark. Wow! All those likes and shares are working great and the team is very excited, so keep it coming.

As you can probably imagine, the cost to contact voters - even with social media - really adds up, so today the most important thing you can do to help is to make a donation. The more money we raise, the more voters we can reach. That's how campaigns work, so give generously. Ballots arrive in mid-July so there's no time better than now to support Initiative 123.