Allow me to quote from History:
T. H. Martin, Secretary of the Commercial Club and Chamber of Commerce added, "Nothing has been done for years that means as much to the industrial development of Tacoma as the building of this highway to the tidelands" (quoted in Jonathan Clarke, "City Waterway Bridge").
This bridge is a monument to the working class. It is in the perfect place in downtown Tacoma rubbing elbow to asshole with the Russell Building...
the MM bridge is proof positive that the working class (who don't wear Dockers to work), can accomplish great things, and this bridge is great and unique in all the known universe, while you are not a unique snowflake.........
Now true, the Docker wearing pencil pushers helped to corral the money for the bridge back in the day....and the function of the tideflat businesses and the ships moving in cheap plastic trinkets for you to buy at WalMart, and then the big ships that are full of American money that sail back to China.....are for big big commerce. I'll let that go, for now.
Without those of us who drive the big rigs, who swing the hammer, who sweat and strain...for your leisure....well, I just think you need to be a lot more appreciative of us.
Come on...it was just Christmas...didn't you watch It's A Wonderful Life?? What do you think that movie was about??
Zuzu's petals?
reprinted from the News Tribune...and I still hate your guts except for about 5 people that work there....
Tuesday, December 16th, 2008
Murray Morgan Bridge could have new cables by July
Posted by Jason Hagey @ 04:43:28 pm
That's what Tacoma City Council members were told Tuesday.
Even though officials haven't secured all of the estimated $80 million it will take to rehabilitate the bridge and re-open it to traffic, they are ready to replace the cables. That will allow the bridge to remain open to pedestrians, rather than lock it in the upright position -- something that was contemplated.
Jim Parvey, an assistant public works director, and Kevin Dayton, state Department of Transportation regional administrator, updated council members on the effort to rehabilitate the iconic bridge that connects downtown to the Tideflats.
It's been closed to vehicles since October, 2007.
The men outlined a four-phase approach to rehabilitating the bridge that starts with replacing the cables.
Doing so will cost about the same amount -- $3 million -- as it would to lock the bridge in the upright position. The money might as well be spent on something that will contribute to the rehab effort, they said.
About $36 million is currently set aside for bridge work.
"At this point, we are ready to move forward with the design of the lift cable replacement," Parvey said. The work is scheduled to be finished by July.
The other phases include:
[More:]
* Rehabilitating the center truss. Estimated cost: $54.1 million.
* Fixing the approach on the downtown Tacoma end of the bridge. Estimated cost: $14.9 million.
* Fixing the approach on the Port of Tacoma side of the bridge. Estimated cost: $8.3 million.
Officials hope to complete all of the work by 2013.
Council members were generally pleased by the news, but they also expressed their continuing frustration with the state Department of Transportation for allowing the state-owned span to deteriorate to its current condition.
Councilman Mike Lonergan said he worried that despite the efforts of state Rep. Dennis Flannigan, D-Tacoma, to secure state funding, the bridge would not be a top priority compared to other big-ticket items such as the Highway 520 floating bridge and the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle.
Mayor Bill Baarsma said he believed that Flannigan, had he been able to attend the council's study session, would have expressed optimism about the chances of securing additional state funding. Baarsma also thinks there is an "excellent" chance of landing federal money.
"What we really need, it seems to me, to secure that state and federal funding is to start the process," he said.
Categories: Tacoma • 4 comments
COMMENTS:
Permalink Comment by footballscaa @ 12:44 - Wednesday, December 17th, 2008 Email
Well that accomplishes nothing but unneeded expense. How about widening Portland Ave, so those of us who work in that area can get to work in a timely fashon. Waste of time and money.
Permalink Comment by smartalex241 @ 13:32 - Wednesday, December 17th, 2008
Take this ugly industrial monster down. Use the money to fix the streets or build a decent looking bridge. How anyone can defend this as a historical treasure is beyond me.
Permalink Comment by mrbaileyboy @ 17:39 - Wednesday, December 17th, 2008 Email
This bridge is being saved so the property on the east side of the waterway will remain valuable to a certain port commissioner. Drive east on 11th street sometime. It is a dead end. Tear down the bridge.
Permalink Comment by turp63 @ 05:05 - Thursday, December 18th, 2008 Email
Yup.. Instead of wasting the money on new cables have it demolished and removed.
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