NEWS GLEAMS | City Council Approves Contract for SCORE Jail; SR 520 Toll Rates to Increase

A roundup of news and announcements we don't want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle.

by Vee Hua 華婷婷

Toll Rates to Increase on State Route 520

Starting Aug. 15, 2024, toll rates will increase for the state Route 520 bridge that links Seattle and Bellevue. The shift in the rates will average a 10% increase that is rounded to the nearest nickel, though the exact toll rate will vary based on the time of the day and the week. Tolls will either decrease by 10 cents or increase up to 70 cents, with a new rate schedule that includes six rate variations throughout a single week, instead of the previous eight. They were set with concerns related to travel speed in mind.

The changes in rates on state Route 520, which were adopted by the Washington State Transportation Commission (WSTC), are a response to a Washington State law that requires tolls to generate sufficient revenue to meet the financial obligations of the bridge. Those obligations include operations and maintenance costs, as well as repayment of any remaining construction bonds that were used to help build the bridge. In the case of state Route 520, $1.2 billion must be raised to cover associated costs.

Rates are as follows:

Weekday Rate Changes (Monday—Friday)

Weekend Rate changes (Saturday & Sunday)

Further information about the rate changes can be seen on the Washington State Department of Transportation website.

Wa Na Wari's Walk the Block Expands to 2 Days of Art and Anti-Displacement Work

Walk the Block, the annual festival of Central District Black arts and community space Wa Na Wari, will expand to two days in September 2024. Themed around "Who We Are…Where We Are…How We Are," the event will focus on the work of the organization's Central Area Cultural EcoSystem, 21st Century (CACE 2021) program, which builds "community power and capacity amongst Black Central District homeowners and Black cultural workers to advocate for land use policies that lower the barriers to creating more cultural spaces."

The first day of the festival, Friday, Sept. 27, will feature the inaugural launch of the Walk the Block Institute, which is a daylong series of activities that brings together artists, community members, organizers, and subject matter experts to brainstorm around the concrete challenges Wa Na Wari addresses in its work. The Walk the Block Institute will feature a keynote address by Miami-based architect, designer, and educator Germane Barnes, whose work examines how built environments influence Black domesticity, as well as a CACE 21 workshop that will work with Black families to develop creative and policy solutions around anti-displacement and homeownership.

The second day, Saturday, Sept. 28, is the Walk the Block Art Festival, which is reminiscent of previous years of the festival and features art installations, pop-up music and dance performances, and creative disruptions throughout various sites in the Central District. Participating artists include Tiffany Alfonseca, Xenobia Bailey, Brown Calculus, Larry Cook, Pamela Council, Ariel Dannielle, Day Soul Exquisite, Marita Dingus, the Floating Museum, Couzyn van Heuvelen, C. Davida Ingram, Elisheba Johnson, Mendi + Keith Obadike, Berette Macaulay, Josh Nucci, Shanice Smith, Ric'kisha Taylor, Vis-a-Vis Society, Tariqa Waters, Inye Wokoma, and Ezra Wube.

Walk the Block, which previously charged admission, will be free in 2024, though interested parties can purchase VIP tickets. VIP ticket holders will receive food prepared by Chef Donna Moodie of Marjorie restaurant, drink tickets, an aura photo, and a headlining performance by artist Aliah Sheffield.

Everyone who is interested in attending is encouraged to register so they can receive a digital Walk the Block map ahead of the event.

📸 Featured Image: Seattle Public Safety Chair Councilmember Robert Kettle led the conversation around SCORE at the City Council Meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. Many individuals present for public comment held protest signs opposing SCORE. Screenshot from a Seattle Channel broadcast of a Seattle City Council meeting on Aug. 6, 2024.

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