R.H. Thomson Expressway
R.H. Thomson Expressway | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Length | 15 mi[1] (24 km) |
| History | Canceled on January 11, 1971[2] |
| Major junctions | |
| South end |  I-5 in Tukwila |
 I-90 in Seattle SR 520 in Seattle | |
| North end |  SR 522 in Seattle |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| Highway system | |
The R.H. Thomson Expressway, also referred to as the Empire Expressway, was a proposed north–south freeway in Seattle, Washington, US. It would have run from Interstate 5 near Boeing Field to State Route 520 (SR 520) near Montlake, passing through the Rainier Valley and Central District neighborhoods along Empire Way (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way). An extension across Union Bay to Ravenna was also planned as part of a connection to the Bothell Freeway (SR 522).
The proposal originated in the 1950s as an expansion of the recently constructed Empire Way and was later named for former city engineer Reginald H. Thomson. The freeway's path through the Central District and Washington Park Arboretum sparked major public outcry, culminating in lawsuits against the city government by civic groups in the 1960s.[3]
References
- ^ Stepankowsky, Anastasia (July 16, 2014). "Ozymandias, ramp of ramps". UW Daily. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
- ^ Seattle City Council (January 11, 1971). "City of Seattle Resolution 22701". City of Seattle Legislative Information Service. Office of the City Clerk. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
- ^ "R.H. Thomson Expressway". Seattle Municipal Archives. Retrieved February 22, 2024.