Add a new wrinkle to the saga of how to replace Seattle's 520 floating bridge freeway: naturalists from overseas object to the leading design option.
The new bridge would cover more of the University of Washington's arboretum and encroach on habitat for great blue herons, according to an article in The Seattle Times. Naturalists from overseas have written to object, the director of the gardens told the paper. "This is not a local issue."
The article also mentions that the design would include dedicated lanes for transit for the first time and coordinate with light rail in Seattle, a critical step to managing growth in the region. The city council is expected to consider approving the design next week and the governor is supposed to sign off on how to pay for the $5 billion project this month.