Fairview Olmsted Park

I-5 Open Space / Colonnade park and trail project

Under Interstate 5, between Newton Street and Aloha Street, is approximately 20+ acres of unpaved Washington State Department of Transportation right-of-way that is ideal for a public park and trails complex. The area is now marked "no trespassing", forcing a mile's detour between Capitol Hill and Lake Union, two of the state's most densely populated and high-employment areas.

Seattle voters in November 2000 approved $1.8 million to plan and construct this park. The planning process is a partnership between the Seattle Parks Department and the Eastlake Neighborhood Plan Stewardship Committee. The sloped site has lots of room, and your ideas are welcome and needed on which uses should be considered and how to design them. High priorities in the Eastlake neighborhood plan are a trail and stairway connecting Franklin Avenue (the Lake Union area) with Lakeview Blvd. and the Capitol Hill steps. Public support has also been voiced for mountain biking and jogging trails, lighting, basketball hoops, and an unleashed dog area.

The greatest concern at present is that the Parks Dept. and WSDOT not prematurely limit the area to be studied to the area north of Garfield St. The public planning process should be allowed to assess all the land south of Aloha Street, which has some of the best land for trails and views (see beautiful twilight photo by Jack Tomkinson). To get involved in the planning process, contact Chris Leman, 322-5463, cleman@oo.net