SEATTLE — Contractor crews demolished the last section of the Alaskan Way Viaduct on Thursday.
Workers plucked the final column from the ground near Lenora Street and Western Avenue and laid it on its side at the worksite. A decorated Christmas tree sat atop the graffitied column during the demolition.
Viaduct demolition work began in February and has lasted 10 months.
Most of the rubble was trucked away and rubbleized before it was poured into the Battery Street Tunnel. Additional pieces that were leftover are available for the public to take home for free. People can pick up small pieces of the viaduct from the Friends of Waterfront Seattle office until Sunday. The office is open noon to 5 p.m.
Although the viaduct has been removed, that doesn't mean construction is over at the waterfront.
Contractors with Waterfront Seattle began staging work last week to rebuild Seattle's central waterfront where the viaduct stood. Plans include building a park promenade and bike path, a new Marion Street pedestrian bridge, and a boat landing and beach at Washington Street. Construction on those projects is expected to continue through 2024.
WSDOT is also remodeling the Colman Dock ferry terminal to replace the main terminal building, passenger-only ferry facility, and an existing timber trestle on the dock. Construction on those projects is expected to last until 2023.
The new terminal opened to walk-on passengers in September.