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
Seattle: Where Every Day is Earth Day
The city nabs a top spot on the nation's greenest cities list
Seattle ranks as the second-greenest city in the United States, just behind San Francisco. The study evaluated cities on sustainability metrics including air quality, public transportation, access to green space, and bike-friendliness.
Molbak’s Returns
Popular store launches community hub for gardening
Molbak’s has launched a new community initiative called Green Phoenix Collaborative at Molbak’s, which will transform the former retail site into a community hub for all things gardening. The collaborative will feature programs, classes, and events.