STEVIE SHAO
Politicians don’t like to tell rich people no. This golden rule of politics is presenting a particularly difficult problem in the case of the Magnolia Bridge.
Local leaders have known for nearly 20 years that they need to tear down the dangerously damaged bridge. For most of that time, they have known that building an exact replacement is economically unfeasible. This bridge services a tiny portion of Seattle—it’s the least-trafficked entrance into Magnolia, a wealthy community of about 20,000 people on a hill west of Queen Anne—yet replacing it could cost between $340 million and $420 million, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).
