Vandalism leads to closure of new 98th SW corridor
(Photos courtesy Gill, added Saturday night)
News release received this afternoon from King County:
Vandals cause unsafe conditions, force White Center SW 98th Street Corridor closure
A recently completed pedestrian corridor connecting new homes and a growing commercial area in the White Center neighborhood has been so badly vandalized that King County must close it for safety reasons.
Vandals ripped out the stainless steel railing and knocked out lights along the 98th Street Corridor, which was just opened in mid July. The corridor’s steep stairway is unsafe for use at night without the lights and handrails, however the ADA-accessible ramp that runs through the corridor remains open. The area was also vandalized with graffiti.
The 98th Street Corridor sits between the new Greenbridge community and the Central Business District along Southwest 98th Street. The corridor was developed as a result of the Land Use, Transportation, Air Quality and Health Study, which found that people who live in walkable communities are healthier.
King County collaborated with the White Center Community Development Association on the project. More information is available at http://www.kingcounty.gov/exec/whitecenter.aspx
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August 13th, 2010 at 5:11 pm
DAMMIT. I heard some noise up there last night but it just sounded like kids playing, not destroying things. The echo we get from noise on the hill is distorted.
GRRRRRR!
August 13th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
Any word from the County on what actions are to be taken to prevent this from happening in the future? What do the residents of Greenbridge think about the vandalism?
August 14th, 2010 at 11:45 am
Also, going with Kat’s question, have they made any statements about trying to determine who vandalized the area?
August 14th, 2010 at 8:21 pm
Nope – this came out fairly late in the day – and the statement didn’t come from King County Sheriff’s Office, it came from a non-public-safety branch of government. We’ll be following up with KCSO on Monday – TR
August 14th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
That is just awful! What is wrong with people?
August 17th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Any followup on this? And are there plans to repair and reopen?
August 19th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
As King County’s public art collection stewards, 4Culture commissioned Andy Cao’s artwork, Pillow Field, for the 98th Street corridor. We are working with our County partners to replace the handrail in a secure manner and reconnect the electrical on the site. We have been repairing damage done by graffiti on the site as well and intend to continue that effort. The possibility of future vandalism remains. Our hope is that some combination of community Neighborhood Watch efforts and oversight by the Sheriff’s office will create an environment with fewer opportunities for this kind of damage. Patricia Julio, with the White Center Development Association, is available to the community to answer questions about the site. Tina Hoggatt, 4Culture Public Art
Patricia Julio, White Center Community Development Association
patricia@wccda.org
206-694-1082 x164