Seattle Culture
How Seattle’s Waterfront Plan Took Shape
See Seattle waterfront's milestones
By Erica C. Barnett February 25, 2019
This article originally appeared in the March 2019 issue of Seattle magazine.
This article appears in print in the March 2019 issue and is part of our Seattle Waterfront feature. Click here to subscribe.
2001
February: Nisqually Earthquake occurs and damages the State Route 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct
2009
January: City, county and state governments agree to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunnel
December: City forms Central Waterfront Partnerships Committee
2010
September: James Corner Field Operations (JCFO) selected to design Seattle’s waterfront park
2011
January: Seattle City Council creates Central Waterfront Committee (CWC); public outreach begins
2012
August: Seattle City Council adopts JCFO concept design and CWC strategic plan
Summer: Friends of Waterfront Seattle is incorporated
November: Voters approve bond for new seawall
2013
November: Seawall construction begins
July: Tunnel-boring machine “Bertha” begins work on the Viaduct replacement tunnel
December: Bertha stalls
2014
February: The city’s Office of the Waterfront is formed
August: Voters approve metropolitan park district to create sustainable funding source for Seattle parks
2015
March: City Council authorizes Pike Place Market MarketFront expansion
June: MarketFront expansion breaks ground
August: City Council and mayor approve master plan for aquarium expansion
December: Bertha resumes tunnel-boring work
2016
July: City Council approves Pier 62 rebuild
2017
April: Bertha finishes tunnel-boring work
June: MarketFront opens
August: City Council releases local improvement district (LID) feasibility study
September: City Council adopts a resolution affirming the LID funding approach for the waterfront
Fall: Groundbreaking for Pier 62 rebuild; seawall replacement project complete
2017–2018
City Council reaches out to property owners who would be affected by LID tax
2019
January: City Council considers LID legislation; Alaskan Way Viaduct is closed
February: The new State Route 99 tunnel opens
Late winter and spring: Alaskan Way Viaduct is removed
Follow Us
Baby Bears, Sick Dogs, And A Mission To Help Animals
How PAWS helps make Seattle among the most pet-friendly cities in the nation
Several years ago, during a string of 95-degree days, we bought a kiddie pool to lounge in while sipping cocktails. That lasted half of one afternoon. Thirsty raccoons began hovering around the small backyard pool, even when we were in it. They became bolder, and we abandoned our plan. No way were we about to…
Reading the Economic Fault Lines
Washington’s recession anxiety leads the nation
Washington residents are Googling recession-related terms more than anyone else in the country. A new study from Techr, an online HR platform, ranked states based on Google searches like “Trump recession 2025,” “are we in a recession 2025,” and “layoffs 2025.” Washington tops the list with 56.33 searches per 100,000 residents — more than 200%…
A Quiet Force: Tasha the Sloth Bear Remembered
The Woodland Park Zoo loses a beloved matriarch
Woodland Park Zoo has said goodbye to a very important grandma. Tasha, a 20-year-old sloth bear known for her beautiful coat, hazel eyes, and love of cinnamon, was humanely euthanized after being diagnosed with advanced cancer. She had recently shown signs of rapidly declining health, including lethargy and loss of appetite, prompting an urgent exam….
Funko’s WNBA Deal Showcases Top Stars
Collectibles company creates Pop! figures of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, others
I love the Seattle Storm, and all things WNBA. My passion for women’s basketball even predates Caitlin Clark. My wife and I recently bought a partial season-ticket package, and my basketball-obsessed son closely analyzes games to help him improve. Now comes news that Everett pop culture collectibles company Funko has signed a deal with the…