Gasworks Park and Lake Union as seen looking East through the railing of The George Washington Memorial Bridge. The 2,945 foot long, 70 foot wide steel cantilever bridge is more commonly known as the Aurora Bridge. The bridge is about 160 feet high. Prior to its completion in 1932 several tall masted ships had to move from their anchorage in Lake Union, as the clearance above the shipping lane, 150 feet, wouldn't have been enough for some of them to clear. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
Over 230 people have committed suicide by jumping from the bridge, second in the US only to San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. This view will soon be gone as a suicide prevention fence nearly 9 feet high will be completed later this year.
(Note: The suicide prevention fence was completed in February of 2011.)
Underneath the north end of the Aurora Bridge, an 18 foot high, one-eyed concrete troll keeps vigil. Here's a view from over his left shoulder. The Fremont Troll was commissioned by the Fremont Arts Council and sculpted in 1990 by four Seattle artists -- Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter, and Ross Whitehead.
Super cool photos Doug. Keep it up!
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