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Viaduct's last piece comes down, marks end of months-long demolition project

By SeattlePI Staff

|Updated
Demolition crews work to bring down the final piece of the Alaskan Way Viaduct near the corner of Western Avenue and Lenora Street, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019.
Demolition crews work to bring down the final piece of the Alaskan Way Viaduct near the corner of Western Avenue and Lenora Street, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019.Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

The closure was reported, the last double-decker portions coming down were reported, and now the Alaskan Way Viaduct is officially rubble and dust.

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The final pieces came down Thursday. Starting at 10:30 a.m., crews worked to bring down the last-standing pillars of the once-elevated highway. By the afternoon, machines were munching and crunching the last bits of concrete and rebar.

Pieces of the viaduct were still available for free, at the Friends of Waterfront Seattle on Western Avenue. Starting Wednesday and going through Sunday, people could walk by and grab a free dusty paperweight, with Seattle history attached to it.

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The waterfront isn't just done like that, however. Crews will still be cleaning up and restoring the site. The work can be tracked at this link.

Did you pick up a free piece of the viaduct? Or did you take a piece on the last night, back in January? Tell us your memories of the viaduct in the comments.

By SeattlePI Staff