Emmett O’Connell has a piece about the possibility of merging Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater. When I lived in North Thurston County, it always seemed like something that ought to happen, but I only lived there for a few years, so not enough to really understand the ins and outs of the local political culture.
Emmett gives some examples of mergers not working and links to another piece about different politics. Fair enough, but the city cultures never felt that distinct to me. I’ve mentioned it before, but here in Seattle when I ride my bike across city lines to, Shoreline or Lake Forest Park for example, it feels like it’s a different city at the border. I’ve had that feeling in New England crossing from a small exurban Mass town to a small exurban New Hampshire town. It never felt that way to me on a bike or a bus going from Olympia to Lacey or Tumwater (I didn’t drive when I lived down there, but being in a car can mute that sort of thing, sometimes).
They seem to be doing fine as three separate cities. But I’ve always though they might do better as one.
As an Olympia.. well, Tumwater, resident, I just don’t see it happening anytime in the near future. As the article says, there are subtle differences between the three cities; Olympia is more concentrated with its downtown area and the port, Tumwater more suburban (especially with the brewery long defunct), Lacey more endlessly sprawling business.
As a bus-rider, I am very glad that service at least is merged.
And during the Great Recession, you could see exactly where the border was; Tumwater and Lacey both had more money than Olympia to spend on routine maintenance like sidewalk grass-cutting. Their street layouts as a whole tend to be glitzier and better maintained as well.
I lived in Oly for a couple of years and I could never figure why Tumwater existed. It seemed more like the Tumwater neighborhood of Olympia to me.
Lacey, however, always seemed like a distinct place. The layout and buildings are way more suburban and the people and politics seemed more conservative & suburban as well.
I suppose it gets down to the benefits of joining. Off the top of my head I can only think of one or maybe two Washington cities that ever merged (Tacoma/New Tacoma and Bellingham/Fairview?). History and trajectory keep them apart, but other than an impression on the map, what would bring them together?
@3, A lot of Seattle neighborhoods, Ballard and Columbia City come to mind, were their own cities once. But I suppose that’s maybe closer to an absorption than a merger.