Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, introduced a bill today that calls for the state to replace the Alaskan Way viaduct with a four-lane, deep-bore tunnel.

The measure would put into law much of what Gov. Chris Gregoire and city and county leaders have previously endorsed. The bill also spells out that the state will only pay $2.4 billion for the cost of digging the tunnel and that an additional $400 million should be raised through tolling the proposed tunnel.

Gregoire has promised the state would pay $2.8 billion for the tunnel.

"We need to establish what we're going to build. We need to put the stick in the ground," said Senate Transportation Committee Chairwoman Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island.

Murray said the bill represents the position of Democratic leadership in the Senate. The governor's office said Gregoire also supports the bill -- and presumably the provision to charge tolls.

There's no mention in the bill about a proposal to allow King County to pass a motor vehicle excise tax to increase public transit, as part of the project. That's a provision that environmental groups want to see the Legislature approve.

Haugen expects the tunnel bill to get a hearing in the Senate next week and to do well in a floor vote. She wouldn't hazard a guess about how the bill would do in the House.

House Speaker Frank Chopp would not comment on the Senate bill. Chopp has supported replacing the viaduct with another elevated highway and has been skeptical about digging a tunnel.