The Arc of Justice bends towards 2nd Street SE

Schematic drawing shows car lanes and new widerpedestrian areasThe arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice--THEODORE PARKER, 1853 (later made famous by Martin Luther King, Jr.)(8/27/2026) The 8th Avenue bridge is going to be completely replaced, because it's nearing the end of its useful life--it was built in 1937--and because we need some river crossing to be high enough to allow traffic to cross during a major flood. The other crossings--A, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 12th, and 16th--have gates that will close during a flood, keeping the traffic dry but the bridges wet.Rob Davis, Flood Control Systems Manager for the city, presented the plans to a fairly large public crowd at the City Services Center on 15th Avenue SW.Crowd awaiting presentation on 8th Avenue bridge projectThe new bridge will be 15 feet higher than the current one, and will have one pier in the river instead of seven. This should result in lower water level--because less displacement--but requires a center…