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Fremont is a congested neighborhood in the best of conditions, and when the Fremont Bridge opens to let tall boats pass through the Lake Washington Ship Canal, harried motorists groan in frustration. The Fremont Bridge opened on July 4, 1917, and celebrated its 500,000th bridge opening in 1991. Built only 30 feet above the Ship Canal, the bridge opens about 35 |
times a day, making it one of the busiest bascule bridges in the world. The color of the Fremont Bridge has aroused much controversy over the years. In 1972 the City of Seattle decided to repaint the Fremont Bridge. The painters applied a primer coat, and let several months lapse before returning to apply the green top-coat. By the time the painters returned, Fremont residents had grown attached to the light orange primer color. Against the wishes of city officials, who feared the primer would fade terribly, the Fremont Bridge remained orange. In 1985 the city decided to repaint the bridge with |
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| lead-free paint. The Fremont community was furious when the city did not propose orange as an option, and Armin Stephanian, unofficial Mayor of Fremont, organized a campaign for orange. However, an election took place (without orange as a choice) and cobalt blue received the majority of votes. Many supporters of orange remained irate, and Irene Ingalls, owner of the local Frame-Up boutique, proposed a plan to include some orange detail work on the predominantly blue bridge. The city loved the |
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| idea, and in 1985 the neighborhood breathed a sigh of relief to see orange remain a part of the Fremont Bridge. Although in 1997 the bridge received a fresh coat of paint, there was no discussion about the color; everybody took it for granted that the cobalt blue and tangerine orange would be used once again. The Fremont Bridge sits in the shadow of the much taller Aurora Bridge, but Fremont residents reserve a special place in their hearts for the unique Fremont Bridge. (--MD) |
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