A Walk on the Viaduct

After 18 years of knowing that Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct could collapse in an earthquake at any moment, we’re finally taking it down, and yesterday was the last chance for the public to walk on the ugly old, familiar old roadway.

–

–

For people who drove over the viaduct on a regular basis, it provided a fantastic view of the city on an otherwise dull commute. For the rest of us it’s a loud, ugly, smelly fortress that runs right through the heart of downtown and separates the people from the sea.

There was a peculiar mixture of mourning and jubilation in the air as we walked the length of the thing yesterday.

–

–

It was interesting to get a good look at the views of the city from up there instead of whizzing by at high speed.

–

–

–

–

There was a strong vibe of lost Seattle among the artists and others who set up along the way. There were art cars, once a familiar sight in Seattle.

–

–

–

–

There was a robopunk band singing about screen slavery and cosmetics and mass transportation.

There was a booth not selling anything. Just a thing to explore. The shipwreck of the Curioddity.

–

–

–

–

–

–

And there was a strange lack of traffic roar that made it possible to imagine for the first time that it really is going to finally be gone.

–

–

–

We exited through the Battery Street Tunnel, and emerged into the new, ever shinier, ever fancier Seattle.

–

–

~ by lolarusa on February 3, 2019.