HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-12-21 Proclamation - 42nd Avenue South Bridge State of Emergencyr ffl
Office of the Mayor
City of Tukwila, Washington
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter 38.52 authorizes the Mayor to exercise
emergency powers; and
WHEREAS, Tukwila Municipal Code (TMC) Section 2.57.030 (1) empowers the Mayor to proclaim a state of
emergency when an incident, whether natural or man-made, requires immediate responsive action to
protect life and property; and
WHEREAS, the 42nd Avenue South Bridge is a 72 -year-old steel -truss crossing that spans the Duwamish River
near Highway 599; and
WHEREAS, on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at approximately 11:15 A.M. an over height semi -truck hit the
42nd Avenue South Bridge, causing damage to vertical and horizontal structures on the bridge; and
WHEREAS, the 42nd Avenue S. Bridge is a critical infrastructure that provides access to the Allentown
neighborhood, the BNSF intermodal yard, Baker Commodities and serves as an east/west connection across
the Duwamish River for the region, hosting 3,000 trucks and 7,000 passenger vehicles per day; and
WHEREAS, after consultation with City engineers, the King County bridge inspectors, the City's contract
engineering firm, and a contractor with experience repairing such bridges, all agree that most prudent next
step would be to immediately repair the bridge, while continuing the City's longer-term effort to fully replace
the bridge by 2025; and
WHEREAS, while repair of the bridge will reduce impacts to the neighborhood of trucks rerouting in other
areas, the City remains committed to working with the neighborhood to identify an alternative access for
trucks servicing the intermodal yard; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor does hereby find that the recent damage to the Bridge constitutes an Emergency, as
defined by TMC Section 2.57.020 and Revised Code of Washington 38.52.010;
WHEREAS, the aforesaid conditions necessitate the proclamation of the existence of a local emergency in
order to protect public safety and property.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Allan Ekberg, Mayor of the City of Tukwila, do hereby proclaim a State of Emergency within
the City of Tukwila; and that during the existence of said Emergency, the powers, functions, and duties of the
Director of Emergency Management and the emergency organization of this city shall be those prescribed by
state law, by ordinances, and resolutions of this city and approved by the Mayor on December 21, 2021. Said
local emergency shall be deemed to continue to exist until its termination is proclaimed by the Mayor of the
City of Tukwila, State of Washington.
Executed this 21st day of December, 2021.
Allan Ekberg
Mayor