Giving Tuesday and Lid I-5 – Make A Difference!

Posted on by Lid I-5 Steering Committee

Friend,

After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we’ve arriving at Giving Tuesday. If you’re ready to make a gift right away today, visit our official donation page now! Our fiscal sponsor, Seattle Parks Foundation, will also contribute $100 for each of the first seven new donors to Lid I-5.

If you’re not ready or need more information about why your gift matters amid other causes, read on.

Lidding I-5 is a win-win opportunity to make progress with Seattle’s public health, public park deficit, and creating a more resilient city. No where else can we add over 15 acres of new public land for open space, housing, civic uses, and new mobility connections. However, despite the obvious benefits, there are still major obstacles. A project of this magnitude and longevity requires a dedicated group of citizen advocates to keep the idea alive and advancing for years to come.

We are committed to our core vision of bringing this project to fruition. That’s why the Lid I-5 Steering Committee puts in over 100 hours of volunteer time per month.

Lid I-5 volunteers helped bring together Karen Thompson from the Philadelphia lid project and Seattle OPCD Director Sam Assefa for a panel discussion at the 2019 State of Downtown event.

Your donation helps us make progress on real, tangible results. Our work can be categorized as public outreach events, coalition-building, political advocacy, and technical research. More specifically, here are examples of recent achievements:

  • Most critically, we secured funding for the City to start a technical feasibility study of lidding I-5 and joined the citizen oversight committee working with the consultant team on the big questions and study parameters. The study should be done in April 2020.
  • In 2019, we met with WSDOT Secretary Roger Millar and confirmed his agency’s interest and support for lids, in conjunction with increasing attention to the state of the freeway.
  • Over the past few months, we have been meeting with City Council candidates and state legislators to raise awareness. We have also written numerous funding requests to Council and the Legislature, with additional letters from many supporters like you.
  • After hosting five Collaborative design events in 2018, this fall we published two books to document the resulting design concepts for lids and our intensive research on ten successful lid projects around the country. Stay tuned for how you can get copies!
  • In 2019 we hosted four community walking tours, with participants from all parts of Seattle.
Co-Chair Scott Bonjukian leads a popular walking tour of the I-5 lid study area.
  • At the Seattle Design Festival and within Freeway Park, we hosted a film screening of Ramps to Nowhere by Minda Martin, a local filmmaker, for the benefit of the Seattle Activists Remembered, Celebrated, and Honored (ARCH) organization.
  • We hosted one community open house in Capitol Hill this summer to provide a project update.
  • We’ve worked with at least four UW classes and studios to support robust student research into the design and real estate opportunities of lidding I-5 (check out our student page).
Our two new books!

We’re not done there. In 2020 and beyond, our priorities are to:

  • Continue our advocacy for funding the Downtown Street Network Study proposed in Imagine Greater Downtown and funding the I-5 Corridor Scenario Analysis proposed by WSDOT and I-5 Systems Partnership.
  • Host a public event to spur further discussion about next steps after the feasibility study is complete. Stay tuned to this newsletter for details.
  • Continue building and expanding our coalition to build political support.

All of this volunteer action requires financial resources, from venue rentals and website hosting to equipment purchases and campaign consultation. Donating is one of the most effective ways to support our volunteers and help us make progress in 2020 and beyond. We suggest donations of $50 or more, but you may give whatever you think is meaningful. Click here to donate today as part of Giving Tuesday.

Our fiscal sponsor, Seattle Parks Foundation, will also contribute $100 for each of the first seven new donors to Lid I-5. If you haven’t donated to Lid I-5 yet, this is a great way to multiply your first donation! To qualify, new donors must give any amount through our official donation page today.

If you want go further, we suggest starting a modest monthly recurring gift to build a more sustainable campaign and demonstrate continued commitment. Even $10 or $20 per month – the value of a few coffees – will make a difference.

If you have questions about the campaign or why you should donate, get in touch by simply replying to this email. And as always, learn more about the Lid I-5 campaign at our website, www.lidi5.org, and social media channels.

Best regards,

The Lid I-5 Steering Committee
Natalie Bicknell
Scott Bonjukian, co-chair
Jim Castanes
Liz Dunn
John Feit, co-chair
Bruno Lambert
Sony Purba