Seattleites weigh in on alternatives to Magnolia Bridge replacement
Jun 12, 2018, 5:25 PM
The Magnolia Bridge. (KIRO 7)
(KIRO 7)
By: John Knicely, KIRO 7
People in Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood sounded off to the Seattle Department of Transportation on Tuesday about concerns that they’ll be cut off from the rest of the city. At Uptown Espresso, neighbors gave input on three alternatives to replacing the Magnolia Bridge.
Seattle DOT engineers will determine when the 1929-era bridge is unsafe, and say replacing it would cost $384 million. The three alternatives would cost just over $200 million each. Click here for more information.
“I moved here a year ago; this is heartbreaking,” said Anthony Riemma, who moved to Magnolia a year ago and didn’t like the alternative options. “You’re going to lower property values and loop around the city.”
It comes down to two different ways to handle the 17,000 vehicles that travel the Magnolia Bridge daily.
In the first option, the city would build a new West Armory Way Bridge from 15th to Thorndyke Avenue. That idea got the most positive feedback Tuesday.
The second option is the city would make major improvements to the W Dravus Street between 20th Ave. W and 15th Ave. W. That idea did not get much positive feedback.
“It’s easier to see what’s not going to work,” Magnolia resident Roy Zimmerman told KIRO 7. “None of the alternatives will help provide additional capacity to getting in and out of the village. It’s nice they’re finally asking the community for input. I worry that they’ve already made some decisions.”
KIRO 7 asked an SDOT representative how much the public input will factor in their recommendation.
“Community input always impacts decisions, you can tell we’re here talking to everyone,” SDOT community liaison Dawn Schellenberg told KIRO 7. “So, we can make a better-informed decision and make sure our leaders understand what the community thinks, as well as looking at traffic analysis and costs.”
Tuesday’s meeting was one of four public input meetings. This website will launch Wednesday for an online survey.
Mornings (8 AM – 10 AM)
June 12
Uptown Espresso
3223 W McGraw St
June 21
Uptown Espresso
3223 W McGraw St
Evenings (5 p.m. – 7 p.m.)
June 14
Magnolia Park Parking Lot
1461 Magnolia Blvd W
(South of W Howe St on the West side of Magnolia Blvd W)
June 20
Magnolia Park Parking Lot
1461 Magnolia Blvd W
