by Jay Craig Everybody loves the Ballard Bridge. It was built as part of the effort to connect Lake Union and lake Washington to Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean. Without the Ship Canal, Seattle would not be the city it is. Being a fresh water port allowed us to become the Port of Alaska, with over 50% of the seafood consumed in the United States passing through here. The Ballard Locks and the Ship Canal Bridges are daily reminders of one of the greatest engineering projects in US history. And the view from the control tower of the Ballard Bridge on a sunny morning or when the sun is setting behind the Olympics is beautiful.