1 00:00:10,276 --> 00:00:12,379 [Mayor Wilson] I am really excited to be here. 2 00:00:12,379 --> 00:00:17,050 You know, over the past weeks, I have passed this piece of Seattle history. 3 00:00:17,050 --> 00:00:20,053 Many times, and, just really excited that 4 00:00:20,053 --> 00:00:23,056 I get to be part of unveiling it to to the city. 5 00:00:23,757 --> 00:00:24,624 Yeah. 6 00:00:24,624 --> 00:00:26,726 So it is great to be here with all of you 7 00:00:26,726 --> 00:00:30,397 to celebrate the completion of the Bell Street Improvements Project. 8 00:00:30,830 --> 00:00:33,833 Today is about how we come together as a city. 9 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,504 Bell Street now connects Belltown to the waterfront. 10 00:00:37,837 --> 00:00:39,773 And you can feel the difference. 11 00:00:39,773 --> 00:00:43,009 But if you're walking, biking, or spending time along the way. 12 00:00:43,209 --> 00:00:47,981 This is how we build a downtown that feels connected and alive. 13 00:00:48,615 --> 00:00:51,618 A place where people want to be and return to. 14 00:00:51,851 --> 00:00:52,919 This is where you meet a friend 15 00:00:52,919 --> 00:00:56,456 after work, where families head to the waterfront on the weekends, 16 00:00:56,990 --> 00:01:01,761 where someone visiting Seattle starts to understand what the city is all about. 17 00:01:02,695 --> 00:01:06,366 Seattle is at its best when our public spaces bring us together. 18 00:01:06,900 --> 00:01:10,336 That sense of belonging matters, and that's exactly what we are building. 19 00:01:10,336 --> 00:01:13,339 Air spaces that are open, shared 20 00:01:13,473 --> 00:01:16,476 and easy to enjoy with your friends and neighbors. 21 00:01:17,110 --> 00:01:19,446 This project reflects a shared vision. 22 00:01:19,446 --> 00:01:20,647 Neighbors, community 23 00:01:20,647 --> 00:01:24,384 organizations and local businesses helped to shape it from the beginning. 24 00:01:24,551 --> 00:01:27,220 Through design to completion. 25 00:01:27,220 --> 00:01:29,422 Thank you to Belltown United 26 00:01:29,422 --> 00:01:32,459 and to the Belltown Community Council for your partnership. 27 00:01:37,597 --> 00:01:41,301 And thank you to Angela Brady and the entire project team 28 00:01:41,301 --> 00:01:43,503 for seeing this through. 29 00:01:43,503 --> 00:01:45,004 And Seattle continues to grow. 30 00:01:45,004 --> 00:01:47,841 These connections bring neighborhoods closer together. 31 00:01:47,841 --> 00:01:51,311 They support the small businesses that make this area so vibrant, 32 00:01:51,644 --> 00:01:54,914 and they make it easier for people to get around in ways that are simple 33 00:01:54,914 --> 00:01:58,852 and sustainable, and they help to show off what makes the city. 34 00:01:59,319 --> 00:02:03,590 So I hope that you will come down here, spend time here and join here. 35 00:02:04,324 --> 00:02:06,993 And this is what about just infrastructure? 36 00:02:06,993 --> 00:02:09,996 What places that people can return to again and again. 37 00:02:10,230 --> 00:02:11,865 Thank you all for being here today. 38 00:02:11,865 --> 00:02:14,767 I would now like to invite Angela Brady, acting director 39 00:02:14,767 --> 00:02:17,770 of the Seattle Department of Transportation, to share a few words. 40 00:02:17,937 --> 00:02:20,673 Thank you. 41 00:02:20,673 --> 00:02:21,708 Okay. 42 00:02:21,708 --> 00:02:23,476 - Thank you. Mayor. 43 00:02:23,476 --> 00:02:25,812 Thank you all for joining us today. 44 00:02:25,812 --> 00:02:27,247 My name is Angie Brady. 45 00:02:27,247 --> 00:02:29,816 I'm the acting director of the Seattle D.O.T. 46 00:02:29,816 --> 00:02:33,286 and the former director of city's Office of the waterfront civic projects. 47 00:02:33,686 --> 00:02:37,957 We're incredibly excited to be here today to celebrate another milestone 48 00:02:37,957 --> 00:02:41,060 and one of Waterfront Seattle's final celebrations 49 00:02:41,060 --> 00:02:44,030 and the completion of our Bell Street improvements project. 50 00:02:44,264 --> 00:02:47,667 This is the last project in the Waterfront Seattle program. 51 00:02:47,700 --> 00:02:48,568 Cheers. 52 00:02:48,568 --> 00:02:49,736 Alligators here. 53 00:02:49,736 --> 00:02:52,005 But super excited to be here today. 54 00:02:52,005 --> 00:02:55,542 This project is part of our efforts to connect the city's new 20 acre 55 00:02:55,775 --> 00:02:59,078 waterfront park to Seattle's unique downtown neighborhoods, 56 00:02:59,078 --> 00:03:00,446 like here in Belltown. 57 00:03:00,446 --> 00:03:03,816 Our team has worked for many years with, where’s Tom Graph? 58 00:03:04,450 --> 00:03:06,186 You felt the pain? Worked with us. 59 00:03:06,186 --> 00:03:06,953 There you go. 60 00:03:06,953 --> 00:03:11,324 And other members of the community on the scope of work for this project. 61 00:03:11,658 --> 00:03:13,393 I tell people a lot. 62 00:03:13,393 --> 00:03:13,893 Get there. 63 00:03:13,893 --> 00:03:15,195 They're like my heart was built on. 64 00:03:15,195 --> 00:03:16,696 So excited about this is only two blocks. 65 00:03:16,696 --> 00:03:18,498 And I say, no, no, no. 66 00:03:18,498 --> 00:03:20,567 They love this project. So much. 67 00:03:20,567 --> 00:03:24,671 We had so many of you show up and and voice your opinions about what 68 00:03:24,671 --> 00:03:25,538 we should build here. 69 00:03:25,538 --> 00:03:27,941 So it's really great to work with you all on this. 70 00:03:27,941 --> 00:03:31,377 During the public, one of the early public briefings on this 71 00:03:31,377 --> 00:03:35,782 project, in February 23rd, we had 51 neighbors show up. 72 00:03:35,848 --> 00:03:40,820 And that just shows us how engaged the community is in your neighborhood. 73 00:03:41,421 --> 00:03:44,791 Today we celebrate the enhancements to Bell Street between Elliott 74 00:03:44,791 --> 00:03:46,960 and First Avenues with this project. 75 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:48,761 We've dedicated more space to people 76 00:03:48,761 --> 00:03:52,532 walking, biking, and rolling through downtown Bellevue. 77 00:03:53,032 --> 00:03:55,001 Belltown, 78 00:03:55,001 --> 00:03:58,004 What am I thinking? I was just in Bellevue I was just celebrating. 79 00:03:58,004 --> 00:03:59,339 I can't believe it. Okay. 80 00:03:59,339 --> 00:04:05,111 So what we did was here, we added two, we had a new two way protected bike lanes 81 00:04:05,111 --> 00:04:08,948 connecting the Bell Street Greenway to the east, to the newly built 82 00:04:08,948 --> 00:04:11,451 bike improvements along Elliott Way. 83 00:04:11,451 --> 00:04:13,086 To the west, right behind me. 84 00:04:13,086 --> 00:04:14,621 We widened sidewalks 85 00:04:14,621 --> 00:04:18,057 with more space for pedestrians traveling to and through the area. 86 00:04:18,358 --> 00:04:22,328 We've installed older seating, some of which are being set on at this moment. 87 00:04:22,562 --> 00:04:26,766 For passers by at a pause on Bell Street, steep incline and enjoying 88 00:04:26,766 --> 00:04:30,069 the stunning views of Elliott Bay, Mount Rainier and the new waterfront park. 89 00:04:30,436 --> 00:04:34,607 And we built, curveballs at intersections to calm the traffic. 90 00:04:34,641 --> 00:04:36,342 And something I know 91 00:04:36,342 --> 00:04:40,246 people are really excited about right behind me here, we salvaged, restored, 92 00:04:40,246 --> 00:04:43,983 and installed a historic Alaskan Way Viaduct sign bridge, 93 00:04:44,250 --> 00:04:47,920 which you can see, arching over Bell Street right behind me. 94 00:04:48,288 --> 00:04:51,190 The sign bridge is enhanced with lighting to support nighttime 95 00:04:51,190 --> 00:04:54,260 visibility, and will serve as the gateway to Belltown. 96 00:04:54,794 --> 00:04:58,698 While also providing a really cool reminder of the viaduct that used to be 97 00:04:58,698 --> 00:05:03,436 here, memorializing a unique piece of Seattle's transportation history. 98 00:05:04,237 --> 00:05:07,240 Celebrating this project is especially exciting 99 00:05:07,307 --> 00:05:10,476 because it is connected to several other projects which I now 100 00:05:10,476 --> 00:05:13,479 oversee, and my new role as transportation director. 101 00:05:13,513 --> 00:05:17,083 Earlier today, we held our first public information session 102 00:05:17,083 --> 00:05:21,654 about upcoming plans to pave, modernize and improve mobility on 103 00:05:21,654 --> 00:05:25,758 both Elliott Avenue and Western Avenue all the way from Bell Street up to Thomas. 104 00:05:26,759 --> 00:05:27,360 We'll soon be 105 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,897 starting construction on the Bell's home to Seattle Center Connection project, 106 00:05:31,197 --> 00:05:34,467 which will be completed by next June ahead of World Cup 107 00:05:35,034 --> 00:05:37,870 and, and Pioneer Square to the south of us. 108 00:05:37,870 --> 00:05:40,006 We're wrapping up our work on our way. 109 00:05:40,006 --> 00:05:41,841 The protected bike lane. 110 00:05:41,841 --> 00:05:45,745 Another one of the final pieces of the puzzle is to connect our new waterfront. 111 00:05:46,412 --> 00:05:48,915 Bike lanes to the rest of the downtown bike network. 112 00:05:48,915 --> 00:05:52,218 So super excited to get that done ahead of the World Cup as well. 113 00:05:52,652 --> 00:05:55,621 Thank you so much again for the community members and the Bell 114 00:05:55,621 --> 00:05:58,725 Community Council who helped shape and champion this project. 115 00:05:58,758 --> 00:06:02,395 This group of people care deeply about their community and it shows. 116 00:06:02,662 --> 00:06:05,865 Thank you to the businesses and the neighbors who were patient 117 00:06:05,865 --> 00:06:08,868 and supported this project and the rest of the Waterfront 118 00:06:08,868 --> 00:06:13,106 Seattle program construction throughout, the last several years. 119 00:06:13,439 --> 00:06:16,943 Thank you to the mayor and city council for their support as well. 120 00:06:18,411 --> 00:06:20,046 And a special shout out to 121 00:06:20,046 --> 00:06:23,950 Guy Michelson and Marshall Foster for championing or helping to champion, 122 00:06:23,950 --> 00:06:27,086 the Viaduct High Bridge and also the Gary Johnson. 123 00:06:27,220 --> 00:06:28,020 Thank you. 124 00:06:28,020 --> 00:06:29,455 I know this guy here. 125 00:06:29,455 --> 00:06:32,125 He's usually the tall guy standing somewhere. 126 00:06:32,125 --> 00:06:35,628 And Gary Johnson as well for willingly 127 00:06:35,661 --> 00:06:39,432 teaming up a plan with others on ways to dress that up with new signage. 128 00:06:39,432 --> 00:06:42,068 So that's going to be really exciting in the future. 129 00:06:42,068 --> 00:06:43,269 And many things. 130 00:06:43,269 --> 00:06:46,038 Last but not least to the entire waterfront Seattle team, 131 00:06:46,038 --> 00:06:49,442 especially Barbara Lee, waterfront program director. Now. 132 00:06:49,675 --> 00:06:52,745 Richard Schleicher, our project manager 133 00:06:52,745 --> 00:06:55,748 for Belle Street, who managed this project through construction. 134 00:06:55,882 --> 00:06:59,819 The design team, Jacobs Civil, our engineering team. 135 00:06:59,919 --> 00:07:02,588 Grant, who did the urban design? 136 00:07:02,588 --> 00:07:05,725 Jacqueline Ryan with the borough issues, who work closely with the community 137 00:07:05,725 --> 00:07:07,960 as we designed and built this project. 138 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:12,565 And Ryan Earthworks, our contractor, who builds our design very beautifully. 139 00:07:12,832 --> 00:07:16,636 And as well as our construction management team, Jody Robinson. 140 00:07:16,636 --> 00:07:19,138 So we got Bo and Matthew, our resident engineers. 141 00:07:19,138 --> 00:07:20,173 I hope they're here. 142 00:07:20,173 --> 00:07:21,240 Thank you all. 143 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:25,645 It takes a village, small village, but a village to build some of these projects. 144 00:07:25,678 --> 00:07:27,680 So really appreciate your help on this. 145 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,750 And I look forward to continuing to work with the Belltown community 146 00:07:30,750 --> 00:07:33,920 on other multimodal projects that have started spreading. 147 00:07:34,287 --> 00:07:38,090 And to continue to strengthen our city's bike and pedestrian network 148 00:07:38,090 --> 00:07:39,258 and accessible pathways. 149 00:07:39,258 --> 00:07:40,426 So thank you so much. 150 00:07:40,426 --> 00:07:45,131 With that, I'm going to introduce none other than Council member Kettle. 151 00:07:45,465 --> 00:07:47,467 Bob Kettle. Another champion of the project. Thank. 152 00:07:51,537 --> 00:07:52,004 - Thank you. 153 00:07:52,004 --> 00:07:57,143 Director Brady, it is a beautiful view of Belltown here. 154 00:07:57,143 --> 00:07:58,911 And from Belltown you can see the water. 155 00:07:58,911 --> 00:08:01,781 So I want to thank, you know, the entire SDOT team. 156 00:08:01,781 --> 00:08:02,682 They do so much work. 157 00:08:02,682 --> 00:08:06,118 I was down here many times as they were progressing through this project. 158 00:08:06,185 --> 00:08:09,188 And please thank them, for all the work they've done. 159 00:08:09,889 --> 00:08:11,591 Good afternoon everyone. 160 00:08:11,591 --> 00:08:16,462 I just wanted to say, first, a thank you to Belltown United. 161 00:08:16,963 --> 00:08:18,431 We got time for after. 162 00:08:18,431 --> 00:08:21,534 Also, Bell time community council, we got Sandra over here. 163 00:08:21,767 --> 00:08:24,270 Is everybody associated with the bell tower? 164 00:08:24,270 --> 00:08:26,138 I hear bell tower communications with you. 165 00:08:26,138 --> 00:08:27,940 Raise your hands. 166 00:08:27,940 --> 00:08:30,042 Yeah, there's a lot of folks here. 167 00:08:30,042 --> 00:08:32,678 You know, we've been having some challenges here at Bell time. 168 00:08:32,678 --> 00:08:33,779 We've been working on. 169 00:08:33,779 --> 00:08:37,550 Today is a beautiful day, and it's about taking action 170 00:08:37,550 --> 00:08:40,553 to help build sound help the community, to help the neighborhood. 171 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:43,356 And I want to thank those two organizations primarily, but 172 00:08:43,356 --> 00:08:48,361 also other groups like Cascade Bicycle Club, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways. 173 00:08:48,361 --> 00:08:49,929 Now the Streets Alliance. 174 00:08:49,929 --> 00:08:52,765 You know, there's shout out there, neighborhood street Alliance. 175 00:08:52,765 --> 00:08:55,001 I'm still working on that, by the way. 176 00:08:55,001 --> 00:08:57,970 But others, other organizations I want to go by 177 00:08:58,137 --> 00:09:00,172 and I really want to emphasize market to more, 178 00:09:00,172 --> 00:09:02,708 because one of the things that we see in our city, 179 00:09:02,708 --> 00:09:07,547 we basically we've been a North-South oriented city, whether it's I-5 99 180 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,149 even now with the Sound Transit North-South, 181 00:09:10,149 --> 00:09:13,085 although we actually just had a big West connection. 182 00:09:13,085 --> 00:09:15,121 But we've always been North-South. 183 00:09:15,121 --> 00:09:17,223 I think it's super important to really build 184 00:09:17,223 --> 00:09:20,059 those East-West connections, and that's what this project does. 185 00:09:20,059 --> 00:09:23,262 It connects Belltown to the waterfront, but even further beyond that, 186 00:09:23,262 --> 00:09:27,033 that's what I wanted to highlight at the moment, all the work that was done. 187 00:09:27,533 --> 00:09:29,969 You know, again, we need to build this out. 188 00:09:29,969 --> 00:09:33,272 We need to build our neighborhoods for all of these, you know, build, 189 00:09:33,639 --> 00:09:37,710 you know, that do that life, you know, that community well being. 190 00:09:37,977 --> 00:09:39,645 And I think we're doing that again. 191 00:09:39,645 --> 00:09:42,381 We have our challenges, but we're going to move forward. 192 00:09:42,381 --> 00:09:47,086 And this has been a beautiful project site rich and just unbelievable. 193 00:09:47,086 --> 00:09:49,355 And it just has that extra character. 194 00:09:49,355 --> 00:09:52,325 You know, it's also a connection from the Elliot Bay 195 00:09:52,325 --> 00:09:55,328 Connection Park, you know, waterfront Park, Elliot Bay connections. 196 00:09:55,661 --> 00:09:58,464 I'm doing this to shout out sorry there the 197 00:09:58,464 --> 00:10:01,567 to highlight the portal park. 198 00:10:02,101 --> 00:10:04,804 You know, this is so important to really push, 199 00:10:06,505 --> 00:10:07,506 building Portal Park. 200 00:10:07,506 --> 00:10:09,675 I think that would be a crowd pleaser with the Belltown crowd. 201 00:10:09,675 --> 00:10:13,479 This is a big project and a lot of work that we need to do, 202 00:10:13,713 --> 00:10:15,448 and that we have done and moving forward. 203 00:10:15,448 --> 00:10:16,415 So thank you for that. 204 00:10:16,415 --> 00:10:18,851 Second, 205 00:10:18,851 --> 00:10:19,785 sense of applause. 206 00:10:19,785 --> 00:10:22,054 So, again, thank you so much. 207 00:10:22,054 --> 00:10:24,390 I really appreciate the opportunity to be here. 208 00:10:24,390 --> 00:10:28,527 And, and now I'll turn it over to none other than Lee Lambert. 209 00:10:29,862 --> 00:10:32,331 Thank you. 210 00:10:32,331 --> 00:10:33,766 - Good afternoon. 211 00:10:33,766 --> 00:10:34,100 Thanks. 212 00:10:34,100 --> 00:10:37,103 Lee Lambert I’m the executive director of Cascadia Bicycle Club. 213 00:10:38,204 --> 00:10:40,439 And, I'm so thrilled to be here 214 00:10:40,439 --> 00:10:43,542 to see this critical connection of our bike network. 215 00:10:43,909 --> 00:10:45,878 And we've heard what it does and where it comes from. 216 00:10:45,878 --> 00:10:48,848 So I want to have a little about the people it's going to impact. 217 00:10:49,782 --> 00:10:52,718 You know, your bike ride is only as safe as this. 218 00:10:52,718 --> 00:10:57,790 Most of this park and these concrete and bike lanes in this short gap 219 00:10:58,758 --> 00:11:01,927 gap will really make these bikes 220 00:11:02,995 --> 00:11:06,599 really make the Seattle Bay bike network more usable for others. 221 00:11:06,766 --> 00:11:08,567 This one 222 00:11:08,567 --> 00:11:11,671 running like this I saw some amazing things this morning 223 00:11:12,405 --> 00:11:13,839 through the Seattle Bike Network. 224 00:11:13,839 --> 00:11:14,740 More usable. 225 00:11:14,740 --> 00:11:17,276 And so let's talk about a person that this will impact. 226 00:11:17,276 --> 00:11:20,279 And and a little bit self-serving because it's one of our staff members 227 00:11:20,680 --> 00:11:23,582 and but in her bike commute from West 228 00:11:23,582 --> 00:11:26,585 Seattle to Magnuson Park, 229 00:11:26,986 --> 00:11:28,754 this makes her life a little easier. 230 00:11:28,754 --> 00:11:30,589 She was so excited when she found us coming. 231 00:11:30,589 --> 00:11:33,826 And she's like, I've been using this little pathway 232 00:11:34,093 --> 00:11:38,330 and it makes it lowers the stress of her 14 mile one way by commute. 233 00:11:39,899 --> 00:11:41,600 There's some super users, the cascade 234 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:45,371 that everyone commutes 14 miles on their e-bike to work, 235 00:11:45,671 --> 00:11:48,941 but it's example of if we want more people 236 00:11:49,241 --> 00:11:51,977 to ride bikes in Seattle, we want to do a whole shift. 237 00:11:51,977 --> 00:11:54,547 We need to make these what appear to be small 238 00:11:54,547 --> 00:11:58,084 but high impact connections that connect the other major parts of our bike, 239 00:11:58,384 --> 00:12:01,220 whether it's the waterfront to the Burke, Gilman 240 00:12:01,220 --> 00:12:04,156 or the second or Third Avenue bike lanes for people commuting downtown. 241 00:12:04,156 --> 00:12:06,459 So we're excited to have this upcoming. 242 00:12:06,459 --> 00:12:08,027 We're looking forward to the way 243 00:12:08,027 --> 00:12:11,864 opening and more, as the councilman said, more East-West, connections. 244 00:12:12,131 --> 00:12:13,432 I like to introduce John Kineau 245 00:12:13,432 --> 00:12:16,235 From Belltown United to give a few remarks. 246 00:12:16,235 --> 00:12:19,238 Thank you very much. 247 00:12:21,807 --> 00:12:23,109 - So before I begin, 248 00:12:23,109 --> 00:12:26,378 I have to ask all of you takes you. 249 00:12:26,378 --> 00:12:28,013 I want to take two pictures. 250 00:12:28,013 --> 00:12:30,049 So the first one of this is for my mom. 251 00:12:31,217 --> 00:12:32,051 There you go. 252 00:12:32,051 --> 00:12:34,754 And the second picture, if you know me 253 00:12:34,754 --> 00:12:37,757 already, raise your hand. 254 00:12:39,024 --> 00:12:41,560 Wow. That's a 255 00:12:41,560 --> 00:12:44,063 all right, so I want to say welcome to everybody. 256 00:12:44,063 --> 00:12:47,066 I know that selfie thing, but I'm not, 257 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:49,535 I'm going out with some index cards. 258 00:12:49,535 --> 00:12:51,670 I want to welcome everybody who's here. 259 00:12:51,670 --> 00:12:54,173 But a few people have already been called out. 260 00:12:54,173 --> 00:12:58,978 But I do have to say that I'm here as a small business owner in Pike Place Market. 261 00:12:59,345 --> 00:13:02,414 I'm active in this neighborhood because I just live a few blocks away. 262 00:13:02,648 --> 00:13:06,218 And when I got here, I got involved in something called Growing Vine Street, 263 00:13:06,252 --> 00:13:12,057 which was a 1990s effort to create a wander through Belltown. 264 00:13:12,458 --> 00:13:15,761 And from the time had growing Vine Street started till now, 265 00:13:16,061 --> 00:13:19,665 Belltown rapidly grew, and it's now Seattle's most densely 266 00:13:19,665 --> 00:13:23,702 populated neighborhood, which means that there are a lot of demands on it. 267 00:13:24,036 --> 00:13:27,339 And the idea about this Park Street 268 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:31,644 came from the idea that new park land was unaffordable, 269 00:13:32,111 --> 00:13:37,082 and we could have city departments, public utilities, parks. 270 00:13:37,550 --> 00:13:41,120 Seattle Department of Transportation work together 271 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,557 to create a space that would welcome the public. 272 00:13:44,824 --> 00:13:48,627 So here we have this wonderful example of the street. 273 00:13:48,928 --> 00:13:50,696 It functions as a street. 274 00:13:50,696 --> 00:13:53,999 It functions as a pedestrian way, a place to sit down 275 00:13:53,999 --> 00:13:57,102 on the rocks and a place to kind of enjoy your city. 276 00:13:57,369 --> 00:14:01,407 So this was a dream that started in the early aughts, 277 00:14:02,341 --> 00:14:05,811 and community groups got together, and she was seeing, 278 00:14:06,178 --> 00:14:09,448 and remarkably, held the course 279 00:14:09,782 --> 00:14:12,785 until the first part of the, operation was built. 280 00:14:12,952 --> 00:14:17,223 And now, finally, this last two blocks is included in this street. 281 00:14:18,057 --> 00:14:21,060 We're close to a thing that we call Portal Park. 282 00:14:21,060 --> 00:14:25,397 We call it Portal Park because it's a piece of land that is under 283 00:14:25,397 --> 00:14:29,602 the control of Washington first Seattle Department of Transportation. 284 00:14:29,902 --> 00:14:35,074 But our hope is that one day it becomes an actual park, adding only to this. 285 00:14:37,910 --> 00:14:41,080 Is Buster Simpson here? 286 00:14:42,848 --> 00:14:44,950 We should, I do want to make a quick shout 287 00:14:44,950 --> 00:14:47,987 out to an artist who is named Buster Simpson. 288 00:14:48,621 --> 00:14:51,857 Did remarkable things in downtown 289 00:14:52,091 --> 00:14:55,794 to bring arts and nature down to the street level. 290 00:14:56,128 --> 00:14:57,596 He does a lot of work. 291 00:14:57,596 --> 00:14:58,898 Check him out on his website. 292 00:14:58,898 --> 00:15:01,066 Buster Simpson dot net. 293 00:15:01,066 --> 00:15:04,670 But he does a lot of work that makes political statements about climate change. 294 00:15:05,004 --> 00:15:08,440 The current administration, lots of things like that, that 295 00:15:08,974 --> 00:15:11,744 wonderful people here are probably interested in. 296 00:15:11,744 --> 00:15:16,715 We've been through multiple mayors, and in fact, I'm so glad you're here, 297 00:15:16,715 --> 00:15:21,520 because I learned today that Seattle has no term limits for mayors. 298 00:15:21,854 --> 00:15:26,525 So you could serve 8 or 10 terms as mayor. 299 00:15:27,359 --> 00:15:32,231 So hopefully we're back here one day doing that. 300 00:15:35,467 --> 00:15:36,602 So, yeah, yeah. 301 00:15:36,602 --> 00:15:42,074 Bringing art onto the streets really behind a bit of capturing the same bridge. 302 00:15:42,341 --> 00:15:44,810 I don't know if there's a better word toward the sign bridge. 303 00:15:44,810 --> 00:15:48,948 I think the sign bridge is kind of a technical term, but the first person 304 00:15:48,948 --> 00:15:52,818 who brought this idea that I was in the room was Marshall Foster. 305 00:15:53,085 --> 00:15:56,956 And I can't emphasize enough, Marshall, how amazing 306 00:15:56,956 --> 00:15:59,959 you were to persist. 307 00:16:00,392 --> 00:16:02,995 I know that it's journey to be here before 308 00:16:02,995 --> 00:16:07,066 you restored and getting the street and even lighted at night. 309 00:16:07,066 --> 00:16:08,467 It's gorgeous. 310 00:16:08,467 --> 00:16:11,337 It took a lot of turns and a lot of people who were like, 311 00:16:11,337 --> 00:16:14,440 well, let's let's put that into the scrap heap. 312 00:16:14,807 --> 00:16:16,075 But it was saved. 313 00:16:16,075 --> 00:16:21,847 And it also adorns the street, which was, in the beginning, a way to take the 314 00:16:22,915 --> 00:16:26,251 dog park and to change the conversation. 315 00:16:26,251 --> 00:16:26,418 There. 316 00:16:26,418 --> 00:16:30,189 It used to be a drug place, and today it's not. 317 00:16:30,222 --> 00:16:32,524 It's been brought back to life. 318 00:16:32,524 --> 00:16:36,895 And one of the partners in that is the Downtown Seattle Association and the mid. 319 00:16:36,895 --> 00:16:41,300 If it wasn't for their constant care, this part of the street 320 00:16:41,300 --> 00:16:43,669 and that part of the street would look very different. 321 00:16:43,669 --> 00:16:46,672 So I do want to say thank you to them. 322 00:16:47,072 --> 00:16:49,842 Lots of cooperation and I'm not the one to tell the story. 323 00:16:49,842 --> 00:16:51,944 I only arrived here like 15 years ago. 324 00:16:51,944 --> 00:16:55,647 So my understanding that was building the streets took this 325 00:16:56,181 --> 00:16:57,716 remarkable cooperation. 326 00:16:57,716 --> 00:16:59,852 Never heard of before. 327 00:16:59,852 --> 00:17:02,855 Urban neighborhoods, parks, transportation. 328 00:17:02,855 --> 00:17:06,191 And for all of us that don't even realize it's under the streets, 329 00:17:06,592 --> 00:17:09,862 there's like an entirely very complicated system. 330 00:17:10,229 --> 00:17:13,232 And that requires a lot of thoughtful care. 331 00:17:13,332 --> 00:17:16,635 So the groups that worked on it, including Hewitt 332 00:17:16,969 --> 00:17:21,040 and Migg and a lot of other people brought this forward. 333 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:24,810 So back to the same bridge and I'll start to wind up. 334 00:17:24,810 --> 00:17:28,013 I'm on page six, but any of 335 00:17:29,214 --> 00:17:30,249 we started when, 336 00:17:30,249 --> 00:17:33,919 when we knew that the viaduct was going to be torn down and the tunnel 337 00:17:34,253 --> 00:17:39,958 would be no longer needed, a group of us got about 1200 people together, 338 00:17:40,292 --> 00:17:43,429 and we tried to stop filling in the tunnel. 339 00:17:43,495 --> 00:17:45,764 So we called it recharge the battery. 340 00:17:45,764 --> 00:17:49,334 And the idea was that the tunnel could one day become an art 341 00:17:49,334 --> 00:17:54,106 block or, wine cave, or a place for food and drink and music. 342 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,176 Well, it got filled in, but the group that was behind 343 00:17:57,176 --> 00:18:01,780 that refocuses efforts here on the two acres that you see here. 344 00:18:01,780 --> 00:18:02,514 Right. 345 00:18:02,514 --> 00:18:04,083 We're still very excited that 346 00:18:04,083 --> 00:18:07,853 that can go forward, especially with this symbol of the past 347 00:18:08,287 --> 00:18:11,290 and kind of an optimistic look for the future. 348 00:18:12,858 --> 00:18:14,159 One of the things about making 349 00:18:14,159 --> 00:18:17,763 this space work is definitely to enforce laws. 350 00:18:17,763 --> 00:18:22,000 So laws about drug use, public consumption and camping. 351 00:18:22,267 --> 00:18:25,504 So just 12 hours ago there were tents here. 352 00:18:25,971 --> 00:18:31,043 Now, for a week, members of the community and the city did outreach. 353 00:18:31,043 --> 00:18:33,512 And the people living in this tent said, no, I'm good. 354 00:18:33,512 --> 00:18:35,114 I want to stay here. 355 00:18:35,114 --> 00:18:38,183 So for all of us to be able to enjoy places like this, 356 00:18:38,183 --> 00:18:40,219 we all have to feel safe. 357 00:18:40,219 --> 00:18:44,356 So I guess the message here is we need to feel safe. 358 00:18:44,356 --> 00:18:47,292 And I don't have the answers for that. But I know that 359 00:18:48,360 --> 00:18:50,596 a lot of people here don't feel safe, 360 00:18:50,596 --> 00:18:54,700 and some of the investments here we're lighting sidewalks, which I learned 361 00:18:55,033 --> 00:18:58,570 in the last 15 years, is not the common purpose of street lighting. 362 00:18:58,570 --> 00:19:01,974 It's for the streets, the byways. 363 00:19:02,708 --> 00:19:06,111 So I just want to wrap up by just saying, like this, 364 00:19:06,111 --> 00:19:09,114 where we are today is a result of dreamers, 365 00:19:09,681 --> 00:19:14,153 visionaries and actually people who do work and make things happen. 366 00:19:14,153 --> 00:19:15,654 And I'm really grateful. 367 00:19:15,654 --> 00:19:18,223 And I hope I'm back for your sixth term. 368 00:19:18,223 --> 00:19:19,391 Awesome. 369 00:19:19,391 --> 00:19:22,394 Thank you everybody. 370 00:19:22,427 --> 00:19:27,166 And I want to bring to the podium Amy Tipton, who runs the Wonderful 371 00:19:27,166 --> 00:19:30,669 Slip Gallery, where I hope we'll see all of you after this. 372 00:19:31,069 --> 00:19:34,072 Yeah, yeah. 373 00:19:34,439 --> 00:19:38,443 - Mine’s a little short and sweet, but, I feel like if there's a trend to bring up 374 00:19:38,443 --> 00:19:39,678 Tom Graff. 375 00:19:39,678 --> 00:19:43,182 So, I'm going to do that, and I see my speech. 376 00:19:43,515 --> 00:19:46,919 I've had a business, at Firstand Bell 377 00:19:46,919 --> 00:19:50,689 for the last 13 years, so this is like my commute to work. 378 00:19:52,424 --> 00:19:55,394 And 20 early 2013, 379 00:19:55,394 --> 00:19:58,797 Tom Graff put the daffodils in the beginnings 380 00:19:58,797 --> 00:20:02,167 of the Bell Street Park across from First Avenue. 381 00:20:02,768 --> 00:20:05,771 And, you know, it's all done. 382 00:20:06,104 --> 00:20:09,541 I mean, it took a lot, and there've been lots of changes, but thanks, Tom. 383 00:20:09,975 --> 00:20:12,978 Shout out to Belltown United. 384 00:20:15,447 --> 00:20:17,182 And what a welcome improvement. 385 00:20:17,182 --> 00:20:18,884 And this is a great accomplishment. 386 00:20:18,884 --> 00:20:21,320 And these guys have been working on this for a while. 387 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:23,722 It looks beautiful. 388 00:20:23,722 --> 00:20:26,725 We have greenery, we have wider sidewalks. 389 00:20:26,992 --> 00:20:29,261 We're now going to have more lighting. 390 00:20:29,261 --> 00:20:32,564 Before this project, people 391 00:20:32,564 --> 00:20:35,701 use these two blocks as a way to get to somewhere else. 392 00:20:36,468 --> 00:20:39,671 But now this is a place where people can gather and linger. 393 00:20:41,707 --> 00:20:44,710 We love you 394 00:20:44,710 --> 00:20:47,713 know, we have places to stay, hang out. 395 00:20:48,213 --> 00:20:51,917 We love seeing the new, wider sidewalk and green plants. 396 00:20:52,317 --> 00:20:55,821 It's bringing more people from the waterfront to slip gallery, 397 00:20:55,821 --> 00:20:56,989 which is awesome. 398 00:20:56,989 --> 00:21:00,459 And I know that our neighbors at Mixed Pantry are really excited about it, too, 399 00:21:00,459 --> 00:21:03,428 because they're seeing more customers come up the street. 400 00:21:04,162 --> 00:21:07,032 As a side note, shout out to the Belltown 401 00:21:07,032 --> 00:21:10,569 Mural Festival because we have beautiful art along the way to the water. 402 00:21:13,739 --> 00:21:14,640 And then 403 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,976 finally, on a personal note, I wanted to share this story. 404 00:21:18,443 --> 00:21:22,381 When my stepdaughter Frankie was young, she would travel between her 405 00:21:22,381 --> 00:21:25,851 mom's house in West Seattle and our house in Belltown. 406 00:21:26,618 --> 00:21:29,421 We always took the viaducts along the way 407 00:21:29,421 --> 00:21:32,424 and exited at Western Avenue. 408 00:21:32,457 --> 00:21:35,460 Frankie called the viaduct the Daddy Highway. 409 00:21:36,395 --> 00:21:38,430 So cute. 410 00:21:38,430 --> 00:21:42,134 Frankie is now grown and living in LA and the viaduct is gone. 411 00:21:42,968 --> 00:21:46,171 But now, on my walk to work, I see families 412 00:21:46,204 --> 00:21:49,207 going to and from the waterfront and creating new memories. 413 00:21:49,508 --> 00:21:52,511 At this same gateway in Belltown, 414 00:21:53,312 --> 00:21:56,315 which is a piece of the Daddy Highway. 415 00:21:56,915 --> 00:21:59,918 Thank you Seattle, we love this.