TULALIP A dangerous eyesore over the freeway was painted and fenced recently, reducing a hazard for vandals and drivers alike.
The old railroad bridge just south of the 116th Street overpass is owned by the Tulalip Tribes but maintained by the Washington State Department of Transportation. It is no longer used but the Tulalips hope to convert it to a pedestrian crossing to connect a potential transit center on the east side of I-5.
The Washington State Patrol was concerned that the bridge has been attracting vandals and graffiti taggers and was afraid one of them could fall to the lanes below from the wooden access catwalk on the south side. The patrol asked the Tribes to close off the catwalk and WSDOT to paint the relic.
WSDOT announced that the work would start this week and promised to remove the aging catwalk that attracted taggers. The wooden planked walkway was on the south side of the bridge, where the entire side of the structure was covered with spray painted messages. By contrast only one tag was on the north side of the bridge, where there was no access.