PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA                Item No.       3c 
STAFF BRIEFING                Date of Meeting    October 11, 2016 
DATE:  September 29, 2016 
TO:    Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:  Dave McFadden, Managing Director, Economic Development Division 
Geraldine Poor, Regional Transportation Manager 
SUBJECT:  Waterfront Panorama: Public Investments Shaping the City Center Waterfront 
SYNOPSIS 
Seattle's city center waterfront is transforming to a new place to live, work and play. Over the
course of this decade, through public and private investments, we are living through the
redevelopment of a new regional asset along the downtown waterfront. The Port of Seattle is
helping to shape that transformation, working with public and private sector partners.
Today's briefing presents the public investments shaping the waterfront in order for the
Commission to discuss synergies with the work of the Port with representatives from the city,
state and county, along with the Friends of the Waterfront. Next month, the commission will
hear about investments from the private sector contributing to the new vision.
BACKGROUND 
The waterfront at the city's front door has evolved from the 1800s form of wooden waterfront
piers, warehouses and railroads serving commerce and trade. In the late 1900s, the city center
waterfront was dominated by the elevated urban highway, and served more of the passenger
vessel operations, as well as visitors to shops, parks, and restaurants.
Our new waterfront is emerging to reconnect the city to its waterfront, put the shoreline and
innovative, sustainable design at the forefront and improve access and mobility for people and
goods. It stems from the 2009 agreement among City, the County and the State to partner in the
Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program. The Port of Seattle joined that partnership with
the pledge of up to $300 million to fund critical Port-related elements of the program.
In 2014, the Mayor created an Office of the Waterfront to deliver a "Waterfront for All," colocating
staff from the mayor's office, and departments of transportation, planning and parks and
recreation, among others. The not-for-profit Friends of the Waterfront formed to ensure the
project's long-term success and bring the waterfront vision to life. King County serves the
waterfront with transit and passenger ferry service and is critical to the partnership as well. 
As the tunnel boring machine, "Bertha," continues digging the tunnel for through traffic from the
south to north ends of the city center, the reconstruction of the seawall on the waterfront from
Pier 48 to Piers 62/63 is underway. Tunnel opening is anticipated in 2019, when much of the

Template revised September 22, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
September 29, 2016 
Page 2 of 2 
SR99 north-south traffic begins to flow underground. The even more disruptive work will begin,
to demolish the viaduct, decommissioning of the Battery Street Tunnel, and rebuild the
waterfront. The City of Seattle (City) would build a new Alaskan Way roadway funded by the
State, build new public open space along the waterfront, and improve other city streets. King
County (County) would provide expanded transit service. Freight and goods movement and
access for people to waterfront businesses and operations must continue through construction. 
Today's focus is on the vision for the waterfront shaped by these public investments: 
Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program 
Colman Dock Project (Washington State Ferries) 
King County Metro 
Waterfront Seattle and Friends of the Waterfront 
Port investments at Piers 66/69 

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING 
Presentation slides 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
Throughout the fifteen years since the Nisqually Earthquake made clear the need for action to
replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the Port has consistently voiced our business interests to the
partners. Maintaining system capacity, freight mobility, access to waterfront businesses and the
seawall's function are critical to the Port.  As important, construction must be planned to
mitigate impacts and support Port tenants and other private businesses.
In August 2013, the Port Commission moved to support Port participation in the Alaskan Way
Viaduct Replacement Program with a port contribution of $281 million so that the replacement
of the viaduct achieves the best balance among retaining and creating jobs, sustaining regional
economic vitality, and benefiting the environment. 
There have been many commission briefings by the city, state and transit agencies on various
aspects of this work. Today's presentation provides an urban form and development perspective
on these issues. 





Template revised September 22, 2016.