The viaduct had long been viewed as a barrier between downtown and the city 's waterfront , with proposals to replace it as early as the 1960s . Questions of the structure 's seismic vulnerability were raised after several earthquakes damaged similar freeways in other cities , including some with the same design as the viaduct . During the 2001 Nisqually earthquake , the Alaskan Way Viaduct suffered minor damage but later inspections found it to be vulnerable to total collapse in the event of another major earthquake , necessitating its replacement
2001 Nisqually earthquake
2001 Nisqually earthquake
Alaskan Way Viaduct