It was inspiring, Tacoma, to watch members of Tacoma City Council, the legislature, state Department of Transportation and city staff sit around a table and almost reach a consensus on the future of the Murray Morgan Bridge.
As it stands, the decaying bridge faces a very short list of short-term fates: locking it in an upright position to take weight off counterbalances; providing cables with some much needed slack; or replacing the cables, allowing the bridge to remain open to pedestrians and bicyclists who have been using the bridge with increasing frequency since it was closed late last year. The need is dire, said Tacoma Public Works’ Jim Parvey at a council study session this week. The stairs descending to Dock Street also are in need of repair.
Without immediate attention, both will have to be closed.
It was easy to see that closing the connection provided by the bridge was an unsavory option for the various officials gathered. Though safety will ultimately decide its fate in the short term, most seem to have moved away from old contentions about who was responsible for letting the bridge deteriorate toward conversations about how to bring it back to life.
“Before I was on city council, I learned from the press that there was sort of an old bridge structure, and it really never had much of a personality,” said City Councilwoman Lauren Walker. “Since then, I’ve learned a lot. It’s become more than just a structure. It has become a historic monument that has contributed daily to peoples lives. It became more important to me, even as I listened to the criticism, to get this bridge fixed.”
Until recently, most public support for restoration has been founded on sentiment. Sentiment, however, hasn’t been enough to convince various funding agencies to come up with the $80 million it will require to restore the bridge and keep it alive for another 75 years.
But there’s far more to the Murray Morgan than sentiment, says state Representative Dennis Flannigan (D-27th District).
The Murray Morgan Bridge plays a critical role in future revitalization efforts on the east side of the Foss Waterway, for example. Without the connection between downtown and the Tideflats, business parks and other likely uses for that side of the water will be doomed.
“If there is a traffic need (to serve new development), you just won’t ever get there (without the bridge),” says Flannigan. “If you tear it down, you condemn the east side of the waterway. You have a barren future there.”
Even now the Tideflats remain somewhat isolated from the core of downtown. The direct connection provided by the Murray Morgan Bridge is a far better one than the circuitous routes currently required to get to various businesses, including a small but growing community of retailers. Councilman Mike Lonergan pointed out during session that the city is currently spending $1 million to boost emergency fire department and police presence on the Tideflats to make up for lost response times and quick routes to hospitals.
“Without the bridge, everything is closed off,” says Flannigan.
As it stands, various agencies working toward a solution have come up with $40 million, and Flannigan is currently drafting a narrative about the bridge. That effort will be an important tool in garnering more support and money for the project, which suddenly seems much more important with a full picture.
“It was so important for me to get to know the bridge as more than just metal,” says Walker. “That’s what really turned the corner for me. This is more than just about saving a piece of our history. It’s about making the bridge an active part of our daily lives, and our future.”