The Alaskan Way Viaduct, Seattle

April 28, 2002

April 28, 2002

For over 65 years, the Alaskan Way Viaduct was a prominent and controversial feature of Seattle’s waterfront, running along Alaskan Way. Opened in 1953 as part of State Route 99, the elevated double-decker highway offered breathtaking views of Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains, but was also criticized as an eyesore that cut the city off from its shore.

After being damaged in the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, its seismic vulnerability became a major concern, and its fate was sealed. After years of public debate, the viaduct was permanently closed to traffic on January 11, 2019, and replaced by a two-mile-long tunnel that runs beneath downtown. Demolition of the iconic structure began shortly after and was completed in late 2019, forever changing the Seattle cityscape and opening up new public spaces and views.