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Engineering Department R.H. Thomson Freeway Records, 1958-1977

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle (Wash.). Engineering Dept.
Title
Engineering Department R.H. Thomson Freeway Records
Dates
1958-1977 (inclusive)
Quantity
5.8 cubic feet, (7 boxes)
Collection Number
2614-04
Summary
Engineering and property records concerning a proposed freeway in Seattle.
Repository
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions

Records are open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for processing this record series was provided through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
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Historical Note

The Seattle Engineering Department (SED) maintained the City's streets and bridges, designed and oversaw construction of public works projects, provided traffic and transportation planning, and operated the sewer and solid waste utility. The position of City Surveyor was created in 1873 to survey the City, establish boundaries and street grades, and administer condemnation processes. This position was renamed City Engineer in 1890.

In 1931, the Engineering Department absorbed part of the Department of Public Utilities, and in 1936, it assumed the responsibilities of the Department of Streets and Sewers and the Traffic Department. In 1997, the water, solid waste, drainage, and wastewater utilities from the Engineering and Water departments were merged with the Engineering Services Division of SED and the Customer Service Call Center and Construction Engineering Sections of City Light to form Seattle Public Utilities. The traffic and transportation functions of the Engineering Department were consolidated in the Seattle Transportation Department.

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Content Description

Reports, surveys, correspondence, meeting minutes, presentational material, photographs, maps court papers, and property appraisals relating to R. H. Thomson Freeway planning. Subjects addressed include earthquake studies, routes, a tunnel under Union Bay, property acquisition and management, the Arboretum and City Council hearings. The freeway was begun but never finished.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], Seattle Engineering Department R.H. Thomson Freeway Records , Record Series 2614-04. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged into four series: Correspondence, Reports and Surveys, Court Section Files and City Council Hearing Transcripts.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

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Subject Terms

  • Express highways--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Lake Washington Ship Canal (Seattle, Wash.)
  • R.H. Thomson Freeway (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Union Bay (Wash.)
  • Washington Park Arboretum

Corporate Names

  • Seattle (Wash.). Engineering Dept.

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Maps
  • Photographs

Finding aid prepared by Janet Ness
2011

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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