WSDOT clears infamous Seattle encampment near I-5 after months of public safety concerns

SEATTLE — The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has finally cleared a freeway encampment that turned into a public safety hotspot.

On Thursday, work crews could be seen putting up additional fencing near the I-5 Northbound onramp after clearing the site, which has been home to scattered tents and structures for months.

It has also been the site of 14 fires, including four this month, often draining Seattle fire resources and closing roads.

Neighbors in the adjacent Chinatown International District (CID) also have complained about whether the crossroads has also been a thoroughfare for criminal activity.

RELATED: 'Emergency closure' leads to massive cleanup of crime-ridden encampment near I-5 in Seattle

Quang Lam runs the Hau Hau Market near 12th and Jackson and has dealt with fentanyl dealers and users constantly outside his longtime, family-run business.

“They go from the freeway up here and then buy whatever they want to sell, whatever they want. They've been stealing from downtown, wherever they get it from, and then up here, sell it, and then go back to whatever they do,” he said outside his business. Lam said he’s been frustrated by the city’s response to the criminal activity but was unaware of the state’s responsibility to keep the Dearborn site clear.

It is a Washington state “right of way”, in the area, underneath all the ramps connecting I-5 and I-90.

If you were to look at a Seattle police crime “heat map”, it appears that communities adjacent to state highways have seen higher rates of violent and property crime.

RELATED: Emergency closure enforced on fire-ridden encampment near I-5 in Seattle

One of those areas, the University District, is now home to more encampments on state right of way near the 45th and 50th Street exits.

WSDOT said, through a spokesperson on Thursday, “A site resolution for the NE 45th St./ NE 50th St. encampments remains a priority for us, and outreach services have begun their work onsite.”

The State has now spent $143 million on cleanups through the “Rights of Way Initiative”.

RELATED: Rebuilt Seattle encampments spark concerns over safety and city's response strategy

Lam said he was unaware of the jurisdictional responsibilities between the city and state but did say the open-air drug dealing and usage is continuing. “I just know they're not doing enough. They're trying. I noticed that actually,” but he said, “To get a long-term solution. I have no idea.”