Seattle Nixes Elevated Park Measure

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Seattle voters overwhelmingly rejected a measure that would've built an elevated park in downtown Seattle using part of the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

More than 80 percent of early votes Tuesday were cast against Initiative 123, which was opposed by many city leaders who prefer a comprehensive redesign of the city's waterfront once the viaduct is removed and replaced by a tunnel.

The Seattle tunnel was the preferred choice to replace the viaduct when it was damaged in a 2001 earthquake. But the tunnel boring machine broke down in late 2013, leading to a more than two-year delay while it was fixed.

The original completion date for the tunnel was the fall of 2015 but the opening is now projected for early 2019.