Olympia-Yashiro Friendship Bridge needs to be cleaned

We went to the Bridge/Corridor Opening Celebration of the Olympia — Yashiro Bridge on May 16, 2004. It was a grand affair and so special to have the bridge completed after the earthquake had damaged the old bridge.

People were very excited to see the new bridge. It was a beautiful white gleaming in the sun!. It was called “a work of art.” It was “The Olympia Gateway Corridor” the “Gateway to the Future.” It had a beautiful design with art in the roundabouts and mosaics. It had a traffic roundabout — new for Olympians. Original pillars and balustrades from the original 1921 bridge were standing in The Park of the Seven Oars for the dedication.

There were tours of the bridge, ceremonies to honor the Olympia and Yashiro Sister City Friendship, including the Kids in Koncert. Visitors came from Japan, and there were welcome speeches. The Olympia Symphony Orchestra performed that evening. Xiaogang Zhu painted a beautiful picture of the bridge, and prints were given out at the ceremony. It was truly a day to remember!

Now, in 2017, I am very sad about the bridge. Every time we drive over it we see how neglected it has become. It is very dirty! There is debris, dark stains, moss. It appears to me that it maybe hasn’t been cleaned for 12 years. Olympia City Council, please get a crew together to pressure wash it and make it beautiful again. It deserves to be cleaned periodically. Don’t forget it is special.

This story was originally published January 19, 2017 at 6:23 PM with the headline "Olympia-Yashiro Friendship Bridge needs to be cleaned."