Major Agreement Reached on Freeway Park
The fate of Freeway Park, the groundbreaking public space created by Lawrence Halprin & Associates atop Interstate 5 in downtown Seattle, has long been in question. More than a decade ago, 开云体育官网 included the park, which was the first ever to cap a freeway, in its Landslide program in the wake of proposals that would have significantly altered its visual and spatial composition, including the removal of two of its character-defining fountains and the demolition of several retaining walls. While those proposals were averted, the park has nonetheless suffered from years of deferred maintenance.
In October 2016, Freeway Park became involved in a Section 106 review, initiated by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), stemming from a $1.7 billion expansion of the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC). The center’s expansion was eventually predicated on a public benefits package negotiated by the Community Package Coalition, which included the non-profit (FPA). The coalition successfully obtained $10 million in funds to support Freeway Park, as well as $29 million for affordable housing; $16 million for a bicycle plan; $4 million to convert Seattle’s Terry Avenue into a promenade; and other funds for a study to examine the potential to lid Interstate 5. Under the terms of the benefits package, the WSCC would contribute the funds for Freeway Park to the City of Seattle, whose Parks Department would direct repairs and improvements.
To achieve the restoration and repairs, the City is working in concert with the FPA, which, aided by two grants, has conducted a public-outreach campaign to help identify concerns and solicit feedback. What has emerged is a general plan to restore the park, including repairs to its electrical systems, utilities, and stormwater infrastructure. Work on park entrances, comfort stations, lighting, site furnishings, and wayfinding has also been proposed. The Seattle Design Commission, which will be asked to greenlight the final rehabilitation plan, has given its preliminary approval for the concept, with an emphasis on activities aimed at repair and restoration.
While the funds represent a potential boon for the park and its future, 开云体育官网 expressed concerns about the nature of possible “enhancements” to the park