Slog
News & ArtsWednesday, February 17, 2010
City Sucks to Be the South Park Bridge Today
Posted by Eli Sanders on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 9:43 AM
- Benjamin Cody
There was always a bit of a zero-sum game going on between the City of Seattle and King County when it came to competition for the federal stimulus dollars that were awarded today. Seattle wanted $30 million in federal funds to start fixing the Mercer Mess. King County wanted $100 million from the same pot in order to fix the South Park Bridge, which I described this way in January:
The rickety South Park Bridge is now creaking into its 78th year and continues to threaten to fall down if someone breathes on it too hard. It's been given a federal safety ranking of 4—out of 100—and has the remarkable distinction of being less safe than the viaduct.
It was unlikely that both the county and city were going to get the money they wanted and, as it turned out, Seattle was awarded $30 million while King County was awarded $0.
Which means that while the South Lake Union neighborhood is going to become a much nicer place for car commuters and Paul Allen's development company, the South Park neighborhood is still fucked. The bridge, which is the most direct route for getting out of the neighborhood core, across the Duwamish River, and into the rest of Seattle, could now be shut down.
On KUOW this morning, I heard Seattle City Council member Tim Burgess saying, essentially: "Oh well. The county owns the bridge. It's the county's problem."
Yeah, the bridge itself is in King County. But the land on either side of the bridge is in Seattle, which means that a lot of Burgess's constituents care an awful lot about it getting fixed or replaced—and probably don't want him washing his hands of the problem based on a technocratic reading of city and county maps.
As I wrote in January:
Local elected officials must find a way to replace this unsafe bridge, and replace it now. An often-ignored, growing neighborhood needs it, and the constituents of everyone involved—city and county councilmembers, state legislators, and our representatives in Congress—deserve to have their government officials working together to solve such a basic safety problem along an essential traffic corridor.
2
So let me get this straight, new 520 bridge? No.
New South Park bridge for hipsters who like to get murdered in their homes? Yes!
New South Park bridge for hipsters who like to get murdered in their homes? Yes!
3
South Park is a beleagured but historic and in many ways charming little neighborhood. It's one of the last neighborhoods in Seattle proper that still serves as a gateway to new immigrants and as affordable housing stock. Most of its problems can be attributed to just this kind of dumping attitude by the city.
South Park also has one of Seattle's best restaurants, Muy Macho. We visit South Park often. Those people deserve better.
South Park also has one of Seattle's best restaurants, Muy Macho. We visit South Park often. Those people deserve better.
4
If the City is going to replace the County's bridge, then why not have the City replace the viaduct, 520 and I-5 as well? They're all surrounded by City property. Just because the County has been collecting taxes for its road fund over the past 78 years and has dedicated none of them to maintaining the South Park Bridge shouldn't bother anyone.
5
To think the federal gov is spending a sweet one billion every month on illegal and foolish wars while states fall apart literally. And no federal Law maker will bring up that fact. I guess it would be unpatriotic to suggest American bridges be in working order before Iraqi bridges. Oh well.
6
McGinn claims he was a supported of a rebuild. Maybe he needs to put a levy on the ballot and prove it.
9
I agree with @7. If Magnolia can get by with so few outlets, so can South Park. tear the bridge down and be done with it.
10
I agree with @7. If Magnolia can get by with so few outlets, so can South Park. tear the bridge down and be done with it.
11
I guess I can figure that Capitol Hill folks and the majority of Seattleites who don't live in the South End might well find the South Park Bridge a trivial item of little worth (Matt).
But this bridge functions for the South End like the University Bridge does for North Seattle. If THAT bridge were to be taken out, I expect attitudes would be a little less cavelier.
Nobody's asking the City of Seattle to fund the South Park Bridge, kk (did you even read the news item this morning?), all we're asking is that a decent share of federal "stimulus" money go towards this infrastructure replacement.
But this bridge functions for the South End like the University Bridge does for North Seattle. If THAT bridge were to be taken out, I expect attitudes would be a little less cavelier.
Nobody's asking the City of Seattle to fund the South Park Bridge, kk (did you even read the news item this morning?), all we're asking is that a decent share of federal "stimulus" money go towards this infrastructure replacement.
12
"If Magnolia can get by with so few outlets, so can South Park"
You can't!
South Park is filled with the Stranger's perfect demographic: guilty white liberals and gays who sometimes, in great irony, get butchered by the people they think they are helping.
You can't!
South Park is filled with the Stranger's perfect demographic: guilty white liberals and gays who sometimes, in great irony, get butchered by the people they think they are helping.
13
Hey, it's not like any stakeholder land-owning billionaires care about the south end of Seattle ...
Basically, once again city council showed it's working for the non-citizen billionaires and not for the Seattle citizen voters who actually live here and who depend on our freight-dependent port to get jobs from.
Basically, once again city council showed it's working for the non-citizen billionaires and not for the Seattle citizen voters who actually live here and who depend on our freight-dependent port to get jobs from.
14
I don't understand why this bridge is worth $100 million. Seems like there are a lot of other places that money could be spent more effectively.
15
Don't blame Seattle. Blame state senate transportation chair Mary Margaret Haugen. Mercer better met the criteria for the TIGER grant program - essentially a pilot grant program that was not really meant to address broken infrastructure. However, the initial, big pot of transportation stimulus money that was awarded last March was very much intended for projects like the South Park bridge. King County went to Olympia to ask for the needed funding, but Haugen, who drove the stimulus award process said no. Instead she directed the money to projects like a new sprawl inducing I-82 interchange near the Yakima Valley Mall. The only project in King County that got state stimulus dollars was a project to add 4 new lanes to a section of I-405. Like most bad transportation decisions over the last 10 years, Mary Margaret Haugen deservesbthe lion's share of the blame for this one too.
16
My god, one 7+ magnitude earthquake and Seattle is fucked worse than New Orleans. And it won't help matters when the rest of the country hears about how our state and local officials have spent the last 10 years fretting and frittering away money on "studies" instead of actual solutions.
17
@11 "But this bridge functions for the South End like the University Bridge does for North Seattle." I doubt that. Does South Park have our state's largest university? What is the population of South Park, anyway?
I actually think Seattle would survive just fine without the U bridge, as long as we put in a pedestrian/bike bridge.
I actually think Seattle would survive just fine without the U bridge, as long as we put in a pedestrian/bike bridge.
18
i still don't understand why we are so nit-picky with these infrastructure investments.....lets just increase taxes and get this shit built the fuck up....jesus christ....
oh no wait.....americans would prefer to have 80" flat-screen TVs & jet skiis built overseas instead of investing in their community and putting locals to work..... well done you little greedy fucks
oh no wait.....americans would prefer to have 80" flat-screen TVs & jet skiis built overseas instead of investing in their community and putting locals to work..... well done you little greedy fucks
20
So, what's $30 mil going to get for us at Mercer?
Based on other city transportation projects around town, I predict:
* reconfigured lanes that don't line up at intersections;
* banners on all the light poles with a peppy new neighborhood slogan ("Is It? It Is! It's Mercer!", perhaps);
* random assorted comcrete bulbs and other curb protuberances;
* lots of non-drought-tolerant plantings, laid in the middle of the hottest, driest spell of the summer, all of which will immediately die;
* a bike lane that runs for a single block; and
* thirty new signs at every intersection, several of them sporting new symbols that no one in the driving public has ever seen before
Based on other city transportation projects around town, I predict:
* reconfigured lanes that don't line up at intersections;
* banners on all the light poles with a peppy new neighborhood slogan ("Is It? It Is! It's Mercer!", perhaps);
* random assorted comcrete bulbs and other curb protuberances;
* lots of non-drought-tolerant plantings, laid in the middle of the hottest, driest spell of the summer, all of which will immediately die;
* a bike lane that runs for a single block; and
* thirty new signs at every intersection, several of them sporting new symbols that no one in the driving public has ever seen before
22
@ 20, I was wondering the same thing. Given the huge price tags most construction projects seem to have, $30M seems like a chump change amount that won't do a damn thing. Hell, when I worked for Wamu we had a $20M project just to upgrade our payroll system, and at that amount it didn't even warrant Kerry Killinger's personal approval.
23
South Park has great parties. I've been there maybe 20 times.
Great to see the non-citizen Billionaire "stakeholders" rewarded with Seattle tax dollars without a public vote.
Yay!
It's fun living in a dictatorship.
Great to see the non-citizen Billionaire "stakeholders" rewarded with Seattle tax dollars without a public vote.
Yay!
It's fun living in a dictatorship.
24
I'll never forget that one time (at least, one of multiple times) they closed the bridge for minor repairs. It was a total pain and made getting to SP the biggest pain ever.
This neighborhood is amazing and if anything should be more visible and accesible to the rest of the city.
This neighborhood is amazing and if anything should be more visible and accesible to the rest of the city.
25
The Southpark bridge is a pretty important industrial route, so there are stakeholders--like Boeing. The bridge has to go, it's a hazard to public safety. I did hear that one replacement plan would wipe out Southpark's tiny commercial zone by expanding the size of the bridge. Did that plan get changed when the went after the federal dollars?
27
All that matters is if you actually phone and email your city council and county council on this.
If they get more than 10 phone calls (city council) or 50 phone calls (county council) than they know people are upset.
If they don't they'll keep giving your tax dollars away to billionaires who don't live here and destroying the areas of the city that actually create jobs, move freight, and will have closed bridges.
Actions speak a lot louder than blog posts.
If they get more than 10 phone calls (city council) or 50 phone calls (county council) than they know people are upset.
If they don't they'll keep giving your tax dollars away to billionaires who don't live here and destroying the areas of the city that actually create jobs, move freight, and will have closed bridges.
Actions speak a lot louder than blog posts.
29
@26, better than La Estacion in Burien? I guess that's not technically "in town". I dunno about "Seattle", but I think brown people are the best thing to ever happen to this state. Birria de chivo! You don't get that at Mama's Mexican Kitchen.
30
Just shoot me now.
It'd be a lot better way to go than to drown in terror on the Metro bus that's gonna plunge through that crackled iron grating on that bridge, down into the cold murky Duwamish below....
Could there BE any more blatant cheap-ass cynical assessment put on the value of the lives of the people of South Seattle? "Don't worry fixin' this bridge, son, these people down here won't be able to AFFORD lawyers when their next of kin dies in the bridge collapse." Jesus.
It'd be a lot better way to go than to drown in terror on the Metro bus that's gonna plunge through that crackled iron grating on that bridge, down into the cold murky Duwamish below....
Could there BE any more blatant cheap-ass cynical assessment put on the value of the lives of the people of South Seattle? "Don't worry fixin' this bridge, son, these people down here won't be able to AFFORD lawyers when their next of kin dies in the bridge collapse." Jesus.
32
hi, the SP bridge was closed for 4 days last week. traffic simply getting onto the 99 from the on-ramp by my house was unbearable. and while some of you would say, "unnngh... take the bus!" you should know three of Seattle's main southward bus routes come through here and all get gummed up in the exact same place. and there's no light rail stop down here, so please spare me that little chestnut of wisdom.
I'm glad people who live in the northend and have never been south of the stadiums can go ahead and look at a map of the area of the South Park bridge and shrug, thinking its not too important. I mean they built a bridge here for a fucking reason right? people do live here, and contrary to the belief of 2 people, it's mostly Latino families and other working class types. but... who gives a shit about them? who gives a shit about white people under 40 who decided to move down here because they didn't want to spend 70% of their income on renting some stupid apartment on Capitol Hill? they're hipsters, right? I always thought a hipster was a person who stays totally detached from things that don't directly affect them, and shrugs saying it doesn't seem too important to be fixed because it has nothing to do with them. then again, I'm a 28 year old white guy who plays in bands, is fairly leftist, slightly gay, and lives in South Park. my opinion clearly doesn't matter.
I'm glad people who live in the northend and have never been south of the stadiums can go ahead and look at a map of the area of the South Park bridge and shrug, thinking its not too important. I mean they built a bridge here for a fucking reason right? people do live here, and contrary to the belief of 2 people, it's mostly Latino families and other working class types. but... who gives a shit about them? who gives a shit about white people under 40 who decided to move down here because they didn't want to spend 70% of their income on renting some stupid apartment on Capitol Hill? they're hipsters, right? I always thought a hipster was a person who stays totally detached from things that don't directly affect them, and shrugs saying it doesn't seem too important to be fixed because it has nothing to do with them. then again, I'm a 28 year old white guy who plays in bands, is fairly leftist, slightly gay, and lives in South Park. my opinion clearly doesn't matter.
33
matt the engineer, you must be a civil engineer, because your comments are completely idiotic.
You cannot put a bike/pedestrian bridge in replacement, as the river must be "navigable" to passing ships, so a drawbridge like there is now is the only viable replacement. If you had ever actually looked at the problem, you wouldn't be so cavalier with the safety of others. I hope you get stuck in endless gridlock as a result of this.
You cannot put a bike/pedestrian bridge in replacement, as the river must be "navigable" to passing ships, so a drawbridge like there is now is the only viable replacement. If you had ever actually looked at the problem, you wouldn't be so cavalier with the safety of others. I hope you get stuck in endless gridlock as a result of this.
34
No wonder we can't agree on health care reform in this country. We can't even agree to fix bridges that are falling down.
The U.S. is going down the tubes, but not for the reasons the teabaggers think it is...
The U.S. is going down the tubes, but not for the reasons the teabaggers think it is...
35
That is pretty damned funny, that "Matt the Engineer" keeps posting to take out our drawbridges and replace them with bike/pedestrian bridges. Um, yeah, that'll work... just fine! No problems with that plan at all!!
Perhaps he is posting ironically. It's so hard to tell in Seattle.
Perhaps he is posting ironically. It's so hard to tell in Seattle.
36
Close the bridge now. If it's unsafe, nobody should be on it. I hate governance-by-crisis, but sometimes nothing else will work.
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