WSDOT giving out free pieces of demolished Alaskan Way Viaduct
Nov 20, 2019, 8:26 AM
(WSDOT)
All traces of the Alaskan Way Viaduct are finally disappearing from Seattle’s waterfront, and as that process wraps up, residents are being given a chance to literally get a piece of the action.
WSDOT approaches final stages of Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition
The Washington State Department of Transportation stated Tuesday that commemorative pieces of viaduct concrete will be made available to the public, free of charge.
You can get your piece of the viaduct at the Waterfront Space on the corner of Western Avenue and Union Street, between Wednesday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The space is currently a showcase for Seattle’s reimagined waterfront, run by Friends of the Waterfront Seattle.
As of Tuesday afternoon, “four columns are all that remain of the hundreds that once supported the Alaskan Way Viaduct,” WSDOT said in a recent blog post. Crews will work to cut and lift out those last pieces, take apart the crane, and then “begin to demobilize.”
“For public purposes the viaduct demolition is essentially complete,” stated WSDOT.
Viaduct demolition head: ‘This is one of the toughest jobs I’ve ever done’
That ends a months-long process that began in February. In the days ahead, the waterfront along Alaskan Way will be completely overhauled to include a 20-acre park and public space, a promenade and bike path, an overlook walk, a seawall, and more.
Construction has already begun on two-way bus lanes on Columbia Street to connect transit between 3rd Avenue and SR 99 south of downtown.