To see a glimpse of what Seattle’s waterfront might look like without a barrier obstructing the view we can look to the past. That is, of course, if Bertha gets moving again after it gets a new barge and despite a new sinkhole near the waterfront.
In the photo above, you can see Alaskan Way along Elliott Bay, where the familiar viaduct is now. The Space Needle is also missing from the skyline, as it would not be built for 12 more years.
A 1949 Seattle Times article quoted a Seattle city engineer as saying that, if all went well, the viaduct would be ready to open by the end of 1950.
The construction finished in 1953.
On April 5, 1953, The Seattle Times ran two photos above the masthead with the headline “Alaskan Way Viaduct Open to Traffic.”