Episode 2

Earth Versus Viaduct

Published on: 28th February, 2025

Be it rickety pilings or concrete behemoth, Seattle's industrial transportation along the waterfront has only been as strong as the seawall beneath it. In this episode, we remember fondly the "gritty, grungy" viaduct and the not-so-hallowed ground upon which it stood. 

With both the viaduct and seawall breathing their last breathes, Seattle faces a full shoreline reorganization and as Knute Berger notes, "Every decision Seattle makes is often infused with a moral righteousness. We don't just look at a highway project as a highway project, we view it as a statement about our values and that's where this public debate and consensus gets snagged."

This series is hosted by Dominic Black and Kiku Hughes and features guests Jared Smith, Bob Donegan, Knute Berger, Jennifer Ott, and Coll Thrush

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About the Podcast

An 8-Year-Long Emergency
Seattle, an Earthquake, and a Doomed Waterfront Highway
Why was the replacement of the Alaskan Way viaduct an eight-year-long emergency? Because everyone - from governors to stakeholders to community groups - cares deeply about the Seattle central waterfront.

An 8-Year-Long Emergency: Seattle, an Earthquake, and a Doomed Waterfront Highway is an exploration of the complicated story behind the replacement of the viaduct following the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. Featuring interviews and engaging discussions with historians, politicians, transportation planners, and community organizers, each episode is set against the backdrop of the waterfront's history.

As the podcast reveals, "Even though it’s changed dramatically over time, repeatedly, you can still see traces and touch points of the past wherever you go on the Waterfront," reminding us that the past is always present in the landscape.

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Kiku Hughes