Fhelsing's Fotothing

Visiting Jim Ellis Freeway Park --- #5 of 15
Seattle, Washington
Sunday, July 18, 2010

I first heard about Freeway Park when I read an article about it in "Pacific Horticulture" magazine several years ago. There was an elevated pedestrian bridge connecting the Convention Center with First Hill, which arched over the Interstate 5 freeway and a huge city-owned parking lot.

This bridge was a real eyesore, so Jim Ellis and others decided to turn it into a pedestrian parkway. Since people needed to walk on it anyway, why not make it look nice?

It was made into quite a large park, 5.2 acres (21,000 square meters), and was opened to the public on July 4, 1976.

Since the park is built on an elevated pedestrian bridge, there are lots of steps and wheelchair ramps built into the design. I like the combination of hardscape and landscape elements, the greenery and the concrete.