Another history lesson

A list of great/not-so-great moments in Seattle transportation history that’s in the Times today includes this line:

1984 Ã¢â‚¬â€ Scandal-plagued high-level West Seattle Bridge survives referendum and opens.

Had no idea, about the scandal OR the vote — just the freighter crash that accelerated the bridge work. Online, we found a little bit about the scandal (design problems, city employees getting fired over them), but can’t find more about the vote. Old-timers, any enlightenment? (We weren’t here in the eighties.)

Gina February 18, 2007 (1:09 pm)

There was a petition to secede from Seattle. Dr.Bonney from James Madison Jr. High was one of the first people to sign.

dh February 18, 2007 (3:57 pm)

There was a BIG problem with the contractor mixing flue ash with the cement (accidently, of course), and having to remove something like 100ft lineal ft, of the upper deck at its thickest point (mid bridge), and replacing it with “quality concrete”. If memory serves (which it usually doesn’t) it was about a 6 month delay.

And, I can’t remember the details, but there were other problems, like Huling Bros problems. The “rest of the snake is still in the toilet”, please sit down, if it hurts, Hizzoner will take care of it.