However, I am having trouble seeing how this relates to McGinn. Can you spell it out directly please?

The new sidewalk can accommodate the McGirth.

1) Expand freeway park to the north. Imagine the area between Pike and Pine as a park (instead of a freeway). It would expand the little “Boren Pike Pine Park” (thanks google maps, I didn’t know what that was called). Lots of people walk along Pike there to get to Capital Hill or Downtown.

2) Add a lid to Aurora north of the battery street tunnel (this part of the road will continue to exist regardless of what is done to the viaduct area).

Both of these projects accomplish what the tunnel does, for a lot less money (and, to be fair, accomplish a lot less of it). The tunnel (if built) will not increase capacity or access (in fact, it will greatly diminish both). It will, however, improve the pedestrian experience. To a certain extend, our hands our tied with regards to the highway (gas tax) spending. Unless someone wants to challenge the courts again, we can’t, for example, spend the money on transit. We can, however, I believe, use it to improve the highways by covering them as much as possible and desirable.