Margin Notes: Snow, Seattle, Ballard, Viaduct

Snow covered my grandparents' home in Kennewick, Washington on 2-January-2009

BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON - No matter where I go, it seems to snow. After my arrival in Kennewick, Washington on New Year's Day, it snowed about an inch overnight to create a white landscape across the Tri-Cities on 2-January-2009. The sun came out by the afternoon, so the roads were passable and it was actually the most delightful winter environment I have encountered this season.

* * * * * *

The landscape outside might have been different, but very little has changed in the inside routines of my grandparents over the years. They still watch "The Price is Right" on television nearly every weekday morning. "New" host Drew Carey has been well-received by these long-time viewers; they don't seem to miss Bob Barker at all--and my grandfather still does a better job of estimating prices than most of the over-enthusiastic contestants.

* * * * * *


A Union Pacific SD9043MAC locomotive led three Canadian Pacific AC4400CW's on an empty grain train at Napavine, Washington on 1-January-2009

My first train of 2009 came enroute to Kennewick on New Year's Day. A southbound Union Pacific grain train was noted from I-5 near Centralia, so I requested a brief detour off the freeway to Napavine, Washington to see it crest the well-known Napavine Hill, resulting in the photograph seen above.

* * * * * *


This view of Seattle's sports stadiums was taken from the Alaskan Way Viaduct on 31-December-2008, just one of many scenes visible from the structure

Transportation matters of a different kind have been in the news in Seattle. Just when it appeared that the Alaskan Way Viaduct would be replaced by another viaduct or a revised surface street arrangement, suddenly the idea of a tunnel has risen again. The aging and earthquake-susceptible structure has been designated for replacement by the state for years pending the approval of a replacement plan by the City of Seattle. While the cut-and-cover tunnel rejected by voters remains off the table, now a new tunnel proposal has come forward. This one would route the tunnel approximately under First Avenue, potentially far enough inland to avoid at least some of the water table and sea wall issues that made shoreline tunnel so expensive. I have yet to hear a timetable on the disposition of this proposal.

* * * * * *


Amongst the stickers on this vehicle noted on 15th Ave West in Seattle on 31-December-2008 was one proclaiming "Free Ballard"

One of the reasons the route of the Alaskan Way Viaduct is so important is connecting Sea-Tac Airport and other destinations south of downtown to Seattle's northern neighborhoods, including Ballard. This bumper sticker was noted in the Interbay neighborhood of Seattle south of the one-time separate city of Ballard. The history of the "Free Ballard" movement is explained on the Archie McPhee web site and dates back to the 1907 annexation of Ballard by Seattle, but rather than being about seceding from Seattle, it's about maintaining a distinct, Scandinavian character to Ballard. In response to the "Free Ballard" movement, there is apparently a "Flee Ballard" movement as well, though I haven't seen its bumper stickers. A distinct Scandinavian character? The next thing we know, Greg Nickels may be declaring Ballard a "nation".

* * * * * *

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels may be facing approval ratings rivaling that of George W. Bush as a result of his handling of the "Snowmaggedon" sequence of storms in December. Nickels had the audacity to give his efforts a "B" when most Seattle arterials were still covered with compact snow because of the city's decision to use little more than sand to make the streets passable. As shoppers stayed away from Seattle in favor of better-cleared suburbs, Nickels' popularity plummeted. He will likely face a serious challenge in 2009 elections. While he has yet to lower the "B" grade, the city has announced that it will use salt and other deicing techniques if the forecast is for more than four inches of snow in the future. The best headline of my stay in Seattle has come from the Seattle Times: "Licking Political Wounds, Nickels Revises Salt Policy."