Before It's Gone by auntietk
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Description
This double-deck elevated roadway is the Alaskan Way Viaduct. It runs along the waterfront in Seattle. creating a visual and psychological barrier between the downtown area and the waterfront. They're boring a tunnel under the city to replace the viaduct, and will eventually tear it down. This will open the area for a public park to be built, where (according to the drawings) denizens and tourists alike can frolic and laugh and play in the sunshine. I hope they put in elevators between this new park and the downtown core, because there's also a physical barrier in the form of a VERY steep hill.
The viaduct has been there longer than I've been alive. When I was a child, before the I-5 freeway was completed, it was the route we took to visit my grandparents in north Seattle. In the late 1970s I worked in an office on the waterfront, and my window had a view much like this one. The lot where I had a parking space was directly under the roadway. A few years later I worked south of the city and drove the viaduct as part of my daily commute. At times, it's been a big part of my life.
When it's gone, I won't miss it for a second!
When everything is all said and done, maybe I'll go back and take another picture. I shot this from Seattle's Great Wheel in July 2016, so I could probably get a "Then and Now" shot in five years or so.
Comments (15)
Faemike55
Looking forward to that after shot
Keep us apprised of any further developments
wysiwig
It obviously performs a necessary function but it doesn't look very lovable. I'd be curious to see more of that building with all the silver pipes and conduits.
T.Rex
When I saw the title and thumbnail I was afraid it was coming down like the Embarcadero Freeway in San Francisco after the Loma Prieta earth quake (bang! Crash!). Glad to read this is a controlled urban renewal project. Would be nice with before and after photos from the same spot. Keep up the good work! Say "Hi!" to Bill for me! :-)
Madbat
Yep, necessary maybe, but yech, that's as picturesque as a refinery in a blender lol.
durleybeachbum
Gosh, what a hideous outlook you had. But it's fascinating to examine. When my son was tiny we used a very popular series of books to enlarge vocabulary, They were called 'Busy Busy World' by Richard Scarry, and this reminds me of the feel of them. have a google!
kgb224
Superb capture Tara. God bless.
crender Online Now!
Just Superb !!! congratulations !
Meisiekind
What a fascinating read on the history of this area, the plans going forward and the role it played in your life. Agreed - not the prettiest view ever, but true to the Tara style which I LOVE, you have done a great job in incorporating a lot of detail in this one image. I keep going back to take another look! Well done Hun!
LivingPixels
Lovely shot!
anahata.c
One HAS to zoom this---they HAVE to. It's a whole other pic that way. Man, do I like this pic. So let me say: Your picture proves that what is often awful to look at, and even awful to live near, can make great photography. Because the photo shows all the geometry, interplay, counterpoint, etc of the place. I just luuuuv this photo---not the sight, ok? But the photo. It's gray, it's dark, but the photographer in you finds the music in everything, along with the drama, abstraction, tensions and resolutions, etc. And boy, does this pic have that. And that's what photographer's do, right? They capture the music even in things that are awful to look at. I love the balance of light and shadow, glow and dullness, flatness and depth...bravo. Glad you took this before they removed it: It's a helluva visual whap in the face (and a record of real urban life, in all its ugliness). 400 stars, TK.
(hey, people shoot decay, right? this is in the same territory...)
photosynthesis
I pretty much agree with everything Mark said. I've seen beautiful photos of dirty, rundown inner city neighborhoods & garbage dumps & this is not even in that league. It's got a great abstract, geometric look & to extend Mark's musical metaphor, a kind of urban rhythm. It brings to mind the work of two well known artists - Charles Sheeler, who painted semi-abstract urban & industrial landscapes that often featured metal duct work of the kind in your photo & Mondrian, who painted fully abstract squares of bright colors. In particular, I remember a famous piece of his called "Broadway Boogie Woogie" that had the same kind of geometric rhythm as this photo...
beachzz
Urban blight can be surprisingly interesting---as long as you don't have to live there! No one will miss this ugly thing once it's gone, but recording it for posterity is not a bad thing. Seems like there was this crazy freeway in SF that someone totally screwed up; it went nowhere and sat for years.
Andrea's comment about Richard Scarry books brought back so many memories; my son and I read every one of them. Don't forget to look for gold bug!!
RodS
You know, I actually love photos like this. There is so much here to explore... All kinds of details, verticals and horizontals to keep one's eyes moving around. At least Mark's and mine.. LOL
dochtersions
Well, dear Tara, I can imagine that this you will not miss for a second; my, what a hectic place of all kind of iron, and all packed so close to another. But it's an amazing picture, and all looks so straight, just a perfect recording as impression, how Seattle is an amazing place in the world.
Desgar
"Another working day has ended, Only the rush hour hell to face, Packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes, Contestants in a suicidal race..."
The Police, Synchronicity II
So much steel and concrete. Putting a lush, green park there is very long overdue.
Still there is some beauty in all that steel and concrete, reminding me to get back to doing some urban renders. Great shot, Tara.