Emergency closure of Interurban Pedestrian Bridges in Shoreline after extensive vandalization
Thursday, October 14, 2021
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline |
The Interurban Pedestrian Bridges which connect the Interurban Trail across Aurora Avenue N and N 155th Street in Shoreline are temporarily closed.
While the Interurban Trail remains open during the bridge closure, crossing N 155th and Aurora will require the use of stairs. Trail users who are unable to navigate stairs should detour around the area.
Almost every one of the panels was hit and cracked. Photo courtesy City of Shoreline |
In the early hours of Thursday, October 14, 2021, the glass panels which form the sides of the Interurban Pedestrian Bridges were vandalized.
Almost every one of the panels was hit at least once with a hard object and cracked.
Bridge closure is necessary while we stabilize the damaged glass panels to ensure the safety of pedestrians and drivers on the roadways below. At this time, both Aurora Avenue N and N 155th Street remain open to vehicles and pedestrians.
Police are investigating the incident.
Installed in 2007, the glass panels were designed by artist Vicki Scuri and funded by the City’s 1% for the Arts program.
6 comments:
This is the way things go in our community. We spend more than we have to on an art installation for a trail bridge, then because it is made of glass instead of just concrete and steel, some malcontent bashes it and makes the whole project not only more expensive, but even dangerous to people passing under it.
There is a solid bloc of people in our region who have demonstrated that they DON'T DESERVE NICE THINGS. Until we stop coddling them through public policy, expect the destruction to continue.
So, isn't there a camera there to capture the dorks that wrecked it for the rest of us?
I am a daily user of the Interurban Trail through Shoreline. Over the past couple of years I have noticed a significant uptick in the amount of garbage, graffiti, needles, human waste, and encampments on the trail within about a half mile of the intersection of 155th & Aurora. The bus stop south of 155th is a particular problem, where the new normal seems to be several abandoned shopping carts and piles of garbage on the ground. Even such visible issues often go unaddressed until someone reports it on the public reporting website, and sometimes even then the city's response is incomplete. It would be nice if the city focused some assertive, proactive attention on monitoring and maintaining trail conditions. One has to assume that a contributing factor in this recent vandalism is the appearance that the city is not paying attention to what goes on.
I'm surprised it took so long
I ride those bridges all the time. If I remember correctly, there are signs saying 'this area is under video surveillance'. Who's reviewing the tapes, and did they reveal anything? If not, why are they under video surveillance?
Yes,suprised they lasted this long. Who was the idiot who signed off on the design. Expect a good year before the City gets a fix.
Expect more of the same because Puget-topolis is 4 million now and is rapidly approching LA, Chicago New York, Houston proportions. Best check with these big bad cities when you build anything here in Shoreline and forget about aesthetics. I will miss my crossing without waiting for the traffic light.
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