Tacoma's new bridge looks like the first deck you built in your backyard
$849 million buys Washington a new bridge to cross the Tacoma Narrows, but we miss an opportunity to depart from the dull. Paging Norman Foster.
On Sunday, July 15, citizens of Washington formally dedicate the New Tacoma Narrows Bridge, built at a cost of $849 million.
As a Seattle resident, I'm going to put aside my envy. Tacoma already has a working light rail line. Now it gets a new bridge while our two bridge problems get promises of process to be perfected – mediation for Highway 520 across Lake Washington and a commitment to work together for the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement on the waterfront.
At least we get Ichiro through 2012, for a little less than the cost of a bridge.
Opening to cars on Monday, the new Tacoma bridge is a thing, but not a thing of beauty. It's as dull and as serviceable as its new name, the new bridge. (Was that focus-tested? How about a name honoring the speaker of the state House of Representatives, who decided the financing? The Thank Frank Bridge.)
With some exceptions, the roads and bridges we build in Washington are ugly. There may be concrete lovers who sees an honesty in the purity of a blank wall. They like the downtown Sheraton Hotel, too. I see ugly, but I see some effort to pretty up some walls. Along Interstate 90 east of Issaquah, you can find retaining walls stamped with fish or leaves, I'm not sure which. It's feeble, but it's an acknowledgment that relief is needed. Lady Bird taught us to put wild flowers along roads, but we also need to make the concrete flow.
As design challenges, roads are tough. Bridges are always an opportunity. A bridge can be a triumph of form and function, steel and wires and concrete supporting vast amount of weight, providing a route for the automobile but also a form that is pleasing, restful, even romantic. Think Brooklyn Bridge in Annie Hall.
Ugly is too harsh for the New Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Homely is closer. It's decidely blue-collar. It looks more like the first deck you built in your backyard, extra heavy with too many nails from Home Depot. It's more broad-shouldered than it's cousin, the old bridge. And both are designed to stay put during winds. Galloping not allowed.
Washington has a history of bridges falling down, at the narrows, on Hood Canal, and once (almost twice) on Lake Washington, so we go for belt, suspenders, and another belt. Better to look dumpy, than to sink.
But if Boeing can put a little flare in Dreamliner, can't we put a little pizzaz in our highways and bridges? Great design doesn't have to be a budget-buster.
A few years ago, Spain's Santiago Calatrava was invited to town and asked to consider the Viaduct replacement. Rather than fight, some suggested, why not turn the new Viaduct into something beautiful, a giant sculpture, but with cars.
There's merit to this thought. Our biggest, costliest built things – namely roads and bridges – should look better.
Norman Foster might be available. He's the architect hired for the new Civic Square across from City Hall. He designed one of the world's most beautiful bridges, the Millau Viaduct, in the Tarn Valley in France. Let's ask him. Can Seattle build a good-looking bridge?
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Comments:
Posted Fri, Jul 13, 11:16 p.m. inappropriate
Too much gray.: I've always wondered why we don't die the concrete we use for things like retaining walls, bridges, light rail towers, etc. It wouldn't take a lot of imagination (nor money) to de-gray some of this stuff.
Seattle actually has a paint called "Seattle Gray" that they use for a lot of transit/road features. I don't know whether it has Teflon in it to resist graffiti but I do know the last thing our city needs is more gray. It's surprising to me that a city like Tucson is quite a bit more forward thinking than Seattle when it comes to beautifying its roads and road-related features. You won't find much gray at all in Tucson.
Posted Sun, Jul 15, 7:32 a.m. inappropriate
Heckle Gregoire?: I was going to go to the opening ceremony, but alas, not pets allowed.
Oh well, maybe next time.
-Douglas Tooley
Tacoma, WA
Posted Sun, Jul 15, 3:09 p.m. inappropriate
Top Dog: Well, I decided to risk it - not to heckle Gregoire, but to take my dog.
Pictorial proof of the first dog across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (save for perhaps the State K-9 unit, inside their patrol cars); Zephyr , the super dog.
-Doug
Posted Sun, Jul 15, 6:19 p.m. inappropriate
Seattle's Tacoma-type trolley is coming soon: Casey notes, "As a Seattle resident, I'm going to put aside my envy. Tacoma already has a working light rail line."
Envy can be assuaged by looking at those new tracks down Westlake in Seattle. The South Lake Union Trolley is the functional equivalent of the Tacoma free trolley installed by Sound Transit as "light rail." Tacoma Link has different vehicles, different stations, even different electric voltage than the real light rail of Central Link to be traveling between Pine Street and the Airport beginning in 2009.
South Lake Union Trolley will use the same rail vehicles as in Tacoma, built by Skoda in Czech Republic, and will operate in roughly the same way.
Posted Sun, Jul 15, 10:21 p.m. inappropriate
Pictures from the Narrows Opening: Frank Chopp kicked off the opening ceremonies by remarking "Oops, I coulda had a V-8 instead of building this new brdge." (Thanks Frank)
Here's a picture of the bridge from near Day Island.
Some architectural detail from mid-span.
Christian hecklers, with megaphones (a good touch) were a bit annoying, but perhaps not so much as the Pete Yorn muzak piped over the 'official' speakers. Yes, the end is near. Soon we will all will be 'Good to Go'.
Let's hope it is all good.
-D
Posted Mon, Jul 16, 9:21 a.m. inappropriate
Who built the bridge?: I followed the construction. Everyone of notoriety was bringing experience from some other country. Many bits were from other countries. So WE can cut the ribbon of success for purchasing and bringing all these experts together to guide us through a bridge the population needed. It looks like the old one we actually built. In short we can spend tax payers' money very well. How well and for what is slowly being eroded as we celebrate a "dreamliner" that incorporates concepts that should have been done long ago and give a baseball player money that was somehow never available to build his stage. Average citizens can be very proud to pay huge prices for tickets, health care, tolls and the like just to view their ugly concrete as the tax grabbing salesmen travel to the corners of the Earth all these experts of luxury come from.
Posted Mon, Jul 16, 10:56 a.m. inappropriate
bride? quel bride?: bride? quel bride? Spellcheck does it again!
Posted Mon, Jul 16, 11:12 a.m. inappropriate
RE: bride? quel bride?: I fixed my typo. "Brides" is now "bridges."
I was heading to a wedding when I did that goof. Mere slip, or deeper meaning?
Posted Mon, Jul 16, 2:41 p.m. inappropriate
any viaduct rebuild is a mistake: As an architect, I don't need to be convinced of the value of design. So naturally I'm in favor of hiring high caliber architects like Norman Foster to design our civic projects.
But design has its limits. In the case of a viaduct rebuild, no amount of design will overcome the flawed concept of placing an elevated highway on our waterfront. The problem of the viaduct isn't primarily aesthetics, but the impact of thousands of cars roaring across the waterfront. The noise and fumes from the cars create an inhospitable environment for people. If we want to transform the waterfront into a successful, walkable place, we should not blight it with an elevated highway - even a beautiful one.
Posted Mon, Jul 16, 3:57 p.m. inappropriate
A better bridge: Agreed. I'm thinking of the new 520 bridge.
Posted Mon, Jul 16, 4:34 p.m. inappropriate
bridges: Oh, good! By all means, Foster for 520.
Posted Tue, Jul 17, 4:55 p.m. inappropriate
We were told...: ...that the engineers wanted a design that harmonized with that of the old bridge, while not overshadowing it. However, except for the XX pattern on the towers, the thing looks like the plans were bought out of a catalog.
Posted Wed, Jul 18, 10:31 p.m. inappropriate
Harmonizing Galloping Gerties...: Did the engineers look into the aerodynamics of TWO bridges side by side? In gale force winds will the two bridges vibrate in amplifying unison or in syncopation? Inquiring minds want to be in synch with any future disaster...
Posted Thu, Jul 19, 12:04 p.m. inappropriate
'Like First Deck You Built' Comment Unfair: Stylistically, the new bridge may come up short. But to liken the monumental design and construction accomplishment to 'the first deck you built in your backyard' is unfair and childish. How do you think that would make those involved with the project feel? Plus, it's just plain inaccurate.
The new bridge may be utilitarian in some ways, but it clearly was not designed nor constructed by 'amateurs'.