Huge piles of trash under the West Seattle Bridge were hauled away Wednesday, and six people living under a nearby offramp were forced to move out.
But the city of Seattle is allowing everyone living under the main part of the bridge to stay, and people in the camp said they expect trash to pile up again.
Dozens of RVs and tents sit under the West Seattle Bridge close to the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Kara Sweidel told KIRO 7 that people in the camp asked her to speak on their behalf.
"I see they are picking up trash over here, and that's great," said Sweidel.
"Because this camp has been cleaning up trash for a really long time and assembling the trash for pickup."
The city is allowing everyone who lives under the bridge to stay.
At issue Wednesday was the area underneath an offramp 50 feet away. Seattle police were there to make sure the six people living there moved out.
Lights were destroyed in that area near the bike trail in December and a city spokesperson told KIRO 7 that the area needs to be cleared for the light repairs.
The spokesperson told KIRO 7 that the six people were told on Monday that they would have to move out, but some of them said they had no advance warning. The city offered them rooms in area homeless shelters and they have the option to live under other parts of the bridge.
“This camp has invited them if they're interested,” said Sweidel.
The area under the West Seattle Bridge drew attention on March 23 when cyclist Jackie Harris said she was grabbed by a man who got in her way on the bike trail under the bridge.
“I was lucky,” Harris told KIRO 7. “I got away.”
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Cox Media Group
