The Seattle Weekly this week published an article by Sue Peters: "Poetic Engineering; Will the new 520 bridge be one 'where you turn off and want to go over it again'?".  There are a group of  Montlake neighbors who are concerned with the Washington State Department of Transportation's (WSDOT ) current proposal for what they and others see as an potential eyesore in the making.  The Group, lead by Rob Wilkinson, is going against the traffic and have a design proposal of their own for WSDOT to consider, and helping to get the word out is their website at:  BetterBridge.org  It is interesting comparing the different proposals, and if you go to the WSDOT site you can also see a "demonstration" of what could happen to the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge (the 520 bridge over Lake Washington) during a strong earthquake, or major windstorm.

Whichever design is ultimately chosen it will certainly affect Montlake, and surrounding neighborhoods of Portage Bay, University District, and the Arboretum with some unknown mix of positive and negative changes.  I do not believe it will adversely affect real estate values in the neighborhood, since whatever design is actually built will for the most part, be on top of the existing structures.  There will be additional noise since the amount of traffic will increase as Seattle's population continues to grow and the Seattle real estate market with it.  However, the alternative design is much better thought out and community friendly, so if you are interested in buying a house in Montlake and living there, then you can make a difference the future of Montlake's neighborhood by getting involved.

Personally I love driving through the Montlake Interchange, and often want to "go over it again"!  When I first arrived in Seattle I was captivated by the the swooping bridges over the water and islands that make up the Montlake Interchange...it reminded me of my childhood visits in the late 60's to Disneyland and the rides Autopia and the lagoons of Submarine Voyage with the Monorail swooping above! 

Please feel free to "swoop by" my "Official Blog" at http://www.seattlesurbanvillages.typepad.com/ and take a test run!