Today’s news cycle is being dominated by tunnel talk. Laura Onstot takes a look at the crustaceans that may accelerate the process of beginning or scrapping the tunnel, as WSDOT put out its call for contractors for the tunneling job. Meanwhile the Times’ Mike Lindblom raises a skeptical eyebrow at Mike McGinn’s proposal for a surface option, and his emphasis on getting people out of cars. Which led me to wonder, might McGinn, with his emphasis on non single-occupancy-vehicle modes of travel (unless those SOVs are bikes) support that popular but pricey West Seattle favorite, the water taxi? If the county doesn’t want to fund it, maybe the city could? No such luck for the West Seattleites. “I think that the county’s review of that showed that there were some really significant cost obstacles and those cost obstacles would be there for the city as well,” said McGinn.He pointed instead to the $500 million for Metro bus service in his proposal, saying that the money is intended to reach commuters in West Seattle, Ballard, and North Aurora. To emphasize the wisdom of his proposal, he touted a video on the success of the San Francisco waterfront–which once hosted the double-decker Embarcadero freeway–that his campaign posted on his website. The demolition of the Embarcadero was the result of the advocacy of the SF mayor Art Agnos (no relation) who was interviewed on these pages last winter.Finally, I asked McGinn about WSDOT’s call for contractors. His reaction: “I’m wondering if the Brightwater contractors are going to be allowed to bid.”