AARoads Forum

Regional Boards => Northwest => Topic started by: ErmineNotyours on February 03, 2019, 06:13:20 PM

Title: Seattle Scenic Drive signs and system
Post by: ErmineNotyours on February 03, 2019, 06:13:20 PM
Walking along the Alaska Way Viaduct, Jakeroot was interested in getting a picture of one of the last Scenic Drive signs left in the wild.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4882/33099151118_01b3658055_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SqRNth)Scenic Drive sign, Alaska Way Viaduct (https://flic.kr/p/SqRNth) by Arthur Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/116988743@N07/), on Flickr

I had noticed them through the years myself, and started taking pictures of them with my digital camera, such as this long-gone sign in SoDo (which still had a fair color balance back then):

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7812/33098969318_eafc42eb84_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SqQSqN)Seattle Scenic Drive sign (https://flic.kr/p/SqQSqN) by Arthur Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/116988743@N07/), on Flickr

My last new discovery was this in West Seattle by Wildwood and Brace Point, though it's possible this one has been removed:

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4896/32033841737_eee93cacc4_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/QNHP7a)Seattle Scenic Drive photo, Wildwood & Brace Point, West Seattle (https://flic.kr/p/QNHP7a) by Arthur Allen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/116988743@N07/), on Flickr

One day I saw this guide map in an antique store: the key to the whole system.

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7822/46923298882_34b2329909_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2eusaYw)IMG_20190203_0002 (https://flic.kr/p/2eusaYw)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7898/46061494475_b5938c8386_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2dbicxR)IMG_20190203_0001 (https://flic.kr/p/2dbicxR)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4840/40010724423_55034e4717_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/23XBqqg)IMG_20190203_0003 (https://flic.kr/p/23XBqqg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4831/33099785758_85b15db212_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SqV48m)IMG_20190203_0004 (https://flic.kr/p/SqV48m)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4918/46061474095_3ee948abea_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2dbi6ut)IMG_20190203_0005 (https://flic.kr/p/2dbi6ut)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4878/46975282071_ac43d1b0cf_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ez3ALp)IMG_20190203_0008 (https://flic.kr/p/2ez3ALp)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7883/46975289271_fedffca860_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ez3CUx)IMG_20190203_0006 (https://flic.kr/p/2ez3CUx)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4885/40010710043_13539e3803_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/23XBm9k)IMG_20190203_0007 (https://flic.kr/p/23XBm9k)

This was the first time I knew that Aurora Avenue had reversible lanes, a system that was discontinued when I-5 was built.  Mercer Island Floating Bridge kept their system into the late 1980s  Also, on the introductory page, you see people observing the demolition of the Seattle Hotel, or they're observing the Smith Tower, from the Pergola.  It was the demolition of the Seattle Hotel, replaced by the "Sinking Ship" garage, that set off Seattle's historic building preservation movement.
Title: Re: Seattle Scenic Drive signs and system
Post by: Bruce on February 03, 2019, 07:10:30 PM
What a find! I'll have to see if they were covered all that much by The Times.
Title: Re: Seattle Scenic Drive signs and system
Post by: jakeroot on February 11, 2019, 02:17:24 AM
ACK! I don't know how I missed this. Thank you for sharing those scans. I always wondered where the routes ran! I'll have to take a drive down them one day and record it with my dashcam.
Title: Re: Seattle Scenic Drive signs and system
Post by: Bruce on February 11, 2019, 03:36:41 PM
Perhaps this could be the focus of a future roadmeet? It'd be fun to clinch the routes in one day, especially now that the new Alaskan Way connection to Marginal Way is open (and thus Route 3 is once again completely clinchable).
Title: Re: Seattle Scenic Drive signs and system
Post by: ErmineNotyours on February 11, 2019, 05:20:02 PM
Quote from: Bruce on February 11, 2019, 03:36:41 PM
Perhaps this could be the focus of a future roadmeet? It'd be fun to clinch the routes in one day, especially now that the new Alaskan Way connection to Marginal Way is open (and thus Route 3 is once again completely clinchable).

The loop through Seward Park has been closed to cars for a while.
Title: Re: Seattle Scenic Drive signs and system
Post by: jakeroot on February 11, 2019, 05:46:15 PM
We can just do that small loop around the ampitheatre and call it good.

There's also the whole thing with the viaduct being gone now. :-D
Title: Re: Seattle Scenic Drive signs and system
Post by: MNHighwayMan on February 11, 2019, 08:07:15 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on February 11, 2019, 05:46:15 PM
We can just do that small loop around the ampitheatre and call it good.

There's also the whole thing with the viaduct being gone now. :-D

It's not gone, it just requires some determination to use now! ;-) :)
Title: Re: Seattle Scenic Drive signs and system
Post by: Bruce on February 11, 2019, 09:45:22 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on February 11, 2019, 08:07:15 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on February 11, 2019, 05:46:15 PM
We can just do that small loop around the ampitheatre and call it good.

There's also the whole thing with the viaduct being gone now. :-D

It's not gone, it just requires some determination to use now! ;-) :)

Well, there's an unlocked fence at a certain ramp on the north side that makes it pretty easy to access.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DzA_RFGV4AAeIzi.jpg)
Title: Re: Seattle Scenic Drive signs and system
Post by: Bruce on May 10, 2019, 02:27:30 AM
A poorly-aged Scenic Drive sign at California & Donald near Seacrest Park.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6KpE4iUEAIA97T.jpg)