Seattle Engineering Department Unrecorded Subject Files, 1890-1990 Overview of the Collection Creator Seattle (Wash.). Engineering Dept. Title Seattle Engineering Department Unrecorded Subject Files Dates 1890-1990 (inclusive) 18901990 Quantity 15.2 cubic feet and 13,000 microfiche Collection Number 2602-02 Summary Records from the Seattle Engineering Department's central filing system. Repository Seattle Municipal Archives Seattle Municipal Archives Office of the City Clerk City of Seattle PO Box 94728 98124-4728 Seattle, WA Telephone: 206-233-7807 Fax: 206-386-9025 [email protected] Access Restrictions Records are open to the public. Languages English Sponsor Funding for processing this record series was provided through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Historical Note The Engineering Department (SED) maintained the City's streets and bridges, designed and oversaw construction of public works projects, provided traffic and transportation planning, and operated the sewer and solid waste utility. The position of City Surveyor was created in 1873 to survey the City, establish boundaries and street grades, and administer condemnation processes. This position was renamed City Engineer in 1890. In 1931 the Engineering Department absorbed part of the Department of Public Utilities and in 1936 it assumed the responsibilities of the Department of Streets and Sewers and the Traffic Department. In 1997, the water, solid waste, drainage, and wastewater utilities from the Engineering and Water departments were merged with the Engineering Services Division of SED and the Customer Service Call Center and Construction Engineering Sections of City Light to form Seattle Public Utilities. The traffic and transportation functions of the Engineering Department were consolidated in the Seattle Transportation Department. Content Description Seattle Engineering Department Unrecorded Subject Files, 1 1890-1990 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv57717 Records include correspondence, memoranda, reports, specifications and standards, permits, deeds, drawings, and other materials related to public works, capital improvements, and public utilities, as well as routine affairs of the Seattle Engineering Department. A majority of the documents have been reformatted to microfiche, but 38 boxes (15.2 cubic feet) of original paper documents are also included in the collection. Important subjects relating to public works and engineering functions include traffic planning and control, transportation, garbage and solid waste management, sewers, street maintenance and design, and water supply. Other topics include: bicycles, bridges, carpools, pollution, and landslides. Principal internal operations are also covered substantially, such as budgeting, contract agreements, permit control, and status reporting for both internal and external audiences. An important subset of these documents is correspondence received from the public, such as petitions, permits, complaints, and claims, as well as the departmental response. Significant inter-departmental and inter-jurisdictional communication between the Engineering Department and the Washington State Department of Transportation, the Seattle Housing Authority, the Department of Parks and Recreation, the Department of Community Development, and the Mayor's Office, are present in substantial amounts, as well as with the Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle (Metro). Notable engineering projects covered included the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the Monorail, public transit, the Forward Thrust Initiative Series, and the 1962 Century 21 Exposition. The Unrecorded Subject Files comprises the Seattle Engineering Department's central filing system up to 1988. Almost all records were microfilmed by the Department's Administrative Records Center until its dissolution in the late 1980s. Records date from 1890 to 1990. Early correspondence includes topics such as paving materials; 1917 correspondence with the Minneapolis Engineer regarding their use of wood blocks as experimental paving material is an example. Records are arranged alphabetically. Use of the Collection Preferred Citation [Item and date], Engineering Department Unrecorded Subject Files, Record Series 2602-02. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives. Administrative Information Related Materials Related records include: Ordinances (1801-02), Engineering Local Improvements District records (2615-03) and Engineering Condemnation records (2608-02). Detailed Description of the Collection The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection. 2602-02: Subject Files - Microfiche, 1890-1990 Seattle Engineering Department Unrecorded Subject Files, 2 1890-1990 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv57717 Container(s) Description Dates Box/Folder 1/1 Accidents 1980-1985 1/2 Accidents 1966-1977 1/3 Accounts Receivable 1985 1/4 Administrative Code 1980-1982 1/5 Administrative Code 1972-1976 1/6 Administrative Services 1985 1/7 Administrative Services 1984 1/8 Administrative Services 1982-1983 1/9 Administrative Services 1980-1981 1/10 Aerial Photography 1980-1982 1/11 Aerial Photography 1956-1977 1/12 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 541- 1961-1972 B 1/13 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 541- 1958-1969 B 1/14 Agreements 1904-1974 1/15 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 2894 1970-1978 1/16 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 276 1957 1/17 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1958 393-395 1/18 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 541- 1961 B Seattle Engineering Department Unrecorded Subject Files, 3 1890-1990 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv57717 Container(s) Description Dates 1/19 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 561 1959 1/20 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 660 1960 1/21 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 662 1960 1/22 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1324- 1963 B 1/23 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1338 1963 1/24 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1355- 1963 R 1/25 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1549- 1964 R 1/26 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1427- 1963 R 1/27 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1624 1964 1/28 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1731 1965 1/29 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1786- 1965 E 1/30 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1803 1967 1/31 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1884 1966 1/32 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1876 1966 1/33 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1884 1966 1/34 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1896 1966 1/35 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1945 1966 1/36 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 1986 1966 1/37 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 2141 1967 Seattle Engineering Department Unrecorded Subject Files, 4 1890-1990 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv57717 Container(s) Description Dates 1/38 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 2326 1968 1/39 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 2368 1968 1/40 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 2446 1968 1/41 Agreements, General Contract Index for GC 41 - 3564 1957-1974 1/42 Agreements, General Contract (between City and State) - 3564 1974 1/43 Agreements, Miscellaneous 1979-1981 1/44 Agreements, General Maintenance (between City and State - 1949 20 1/45 Agreements, General Maintenance (between City and State - 1965 41-R 1/46 Agreements, General Maintenance (between City and State - 1962 245-X 1/47 Agreements, General Maintenance (between City and State - 1962 251-X 1/48 Agreements, General Maintenance (between City and State - 1963 293 1/49 Agreements, General Maintenance (between City and State - 1965 359 1/50 Agreements, General Maintenance (between City and State - 1966 369 1/51 Agreements, General Maintenance (between City and State - 1966-1976 376 1/52 Agreements, General Maintenance (between City and State - 1966 381 1/53 Agreements, General Maintenance (between City and State - 1968 409 Seattle Engineering Department Unrecorded Subject Files, 5 1890-1990 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv57717 Container(s) Description Dates 1/54 Agreements, General Maintenance (between City and State - 1974 813 1/55 Agreements, Thomson Freeway, Index for Agreements Y-716 1964-1971 thru Y-1170 1/56 Air Pollution 1951-1985 1/57 Air Pollution - Report on Unpaved Roads and Parking Lots in 1973 the Duwamish Valley 1/58 Air Pollution - Report by the University of Washington 1952 1/59 Air Rights 1975-1982 1/60 Air Rights - Park Department Development of Areas under 1971-1974 North and South Sides of Freeway Ship Canal Bridge 1/61 Air Rights - Kardee Building Company, Request for Use of Area 1971 under Freeway, Norfolk-Bayview Streets, Parking Purpose 1/62 Air Rights - Park Department, Request for Use of Area, SR-90 1971 to First Lake Washington Bridge Right of Way (West Side) for Existing Boat Launching Ramp 1/63 Air Rights - King County, Request for Use of Area adjacent 1971-1972 Harborview Medical Center for Parking / View Point 1/64 Air Rights - Metro Transit