wrought ironfence that blocked direct path to Bridge of Glass gone

The city of Tacoma on Thursday to remove sections of a wrought iron fence that blocked the most direct route from Pacific Avenue to the glass bridge.

Jennifer Kilmer, director of the Museum of Washington State History who owns the property where the fence, said the city withdrew the two sections to your request.

"I just wanted to restore access to the Crystal Bridge," said Kilmer. "It's a common use of public right of way. I decided to open access."

The public now can walk or bike directly from Pacific Avenue to the bridge. You no longer have to take a circuitous route past the entrance to the museum and cafe.

The city installed concrete posts that leave space for walking and biking, but not driving a vehicle through the opening of the glass bridge.

"This means that you can not drive his truck up there," said Kilmer.

Kilmer said there was nothing strategic about the timing of the withdrawal. She had been working with the city of Tacoma for about two months with two sections of about four eliminated. She became museum director in October, replacing retiring David Nicandri.

The existence of the fence goes back to when the museum opened its doors in the place in 1996. The fence became a point of contention under the leadership of Nicandri.

It became a point of contention 10 years later, when he began to Nicandri replaced by a brick wall more than 200 plaques honoring donors who contributed to the campaign to save the adjacent Union Station in the early 1990.

After construction began on the wall, the city issued a stop work order. The then councilor Julie Anderson said he was concerned the wall would block the view of the glass bridge of Pacific Avenue.

Nicandri offered a design change that has been extended from an opening in the wall and covered with glass, creating a viewing port for the bridge. The city said no, finding that the construction would violate the Tacoma Municipal Code and endangering the city easement.

The museum then re-erect the iron fence, which continued to block access to the glass bridge until removal on Thursday. At that time, Nicandri said the opening of the area would put a "dagger in the heart of the commercial interests of the museum."

Kilmer said Thursday he does not expect the opening of the most direct route would harm the business of the museum.