theonlyconsultingphotographer:
Waterfront viaduct by Laurentiu Cristofor on Flickr.
Alaskan Way Viaduct (SR-99), 1952-2011.
- Seattle Municipal Archives, Alaskan Way Viaduct Under Construction (1952)
- clappstar, Seattle Morning Commute (2004)
- Cria-cow, Viaduct and Sound (2007)
- Shawn McClung, Viaduct Commute (2009)
- Allie Gerlach/SDOT, AWV_Construction (2011)
- Jenni Konrad, Fresh Delivery (2011)
- WSDOT, SR 99 off-ramp demolished 9 (2011)
- WSDOT, Bird’s eye Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition view (2011)
- Jenni Konrad, sidewalk chalk (2011)
The notion of the elevated freeway has become outdated in favor of tunnels and Big Digs. Intended as a panacea to increasing traffic, the elevated freeway divided neighborhoods and took views from buildings, giving them to commuters, so this latest, the Alaskan Way Viaduct (Washington State Route 99) has fallen victim to the increasing clout of property owners at just short of 60 years old.
I remember driving across the Viaduct several times growing up and never got tired of the views — I’ll miss it but those days have been numbered ever since 1952, honestly.
