The local consensus is that cross-town traffic has never been worse. The once-popular belief (held, at least, in the more progressive corners of river city) that foot-dragging on road-expansion would somehow preserve the local charm has fallen from favor. Perhaps perennially clogged roads and 30-minute cross-town commutes were considered charming to such folks. Of late, pretenders to the local political seats of power have taken up the call for the Rainier crossing – once envisioned as an overpass, then an underpass and now, who knows, it could be catapult.