The Department of Enterprise Services has adopted updates to its Bridge Banner Standards and its Displays on the Capitol Grounds Policy for banners that are hung from the pedestrian walking bridge over Capitol Way South.

Enterprise Services also has lifted its moratorium on accepting or granting banner applications for pedestrian bridge banners, which was in place as it sought feedback and developed the updates.

Public comments

Enterprise Services would like to thank people who provided comments and feedback as it developed the updates to the standards and policy. The agency sought public comment on possible policy options in the fall of 2016, and then again on draft updates in March, 2017. Public feedback was important as the updates were developed to ensure an informed solution that balances public safety and appropriate community use of the Capitol Campus. View the comments.

About the updates

The banner updates establish clear bridge banner permit requirements, and limit bridge banners to two categories: (1) Public event announcements of events open to the general public; and (2) Public service announcements by governmental entities or non-profits directed at the general public for public benefit.

The updates also create categories of bridge banner content that are not allowed. Some examples of content restrictions are:

• Endorsing or opposing political candidates, initiatives, ballot measures, issues or messages.
• Demeaning or disparaging an individual or group of individuals.
• Promoting unlawful, illegal or unsafe goods, services, activities, conduct, or behaviors.
• Promoting sexually-oriented businesses or sexually explicit material.
• Primarily promoting tobacco, alcohol or marijuana, or related products.
• Depicting explicit, offensive or obscene sexual or excretory activities.
• Any images of a person appearing to be a minor in sexually suggestive dress, pose or context or of an obscene nature.

View the Bridge Banner Standards.

View the Displays on Capitol Grounds Policy (Section 3)

Additional updates

Bridge banner stickers: Enterprise Services requires banner applicants to place a disclaimer on their banners that states the banners are not affiliated with the state. The agency is providing stickers that can be placed on the back of the banners to fulfill this requirement through April, 2018, to assist with compliance.

Scheduling: Two changes have been made to make the approval process for banners more efficient in the scheduling system:

• Enterprise Services has made changes to its scheduling system so that people can view availability when scheduling.
• People are asked to upload a photo or banner design when applying for a banner rather than bringing the banner in to the Visitor Services office prior to approval.
• See the bridge banner application.

Bridge banner hanging and removal: For safety reasons only Enterprise Services may hang or remove a bridge banner. All applicants must pay the hanging/removal fee before a bridge banner will be hung.

More information

More information is available on the Enterprise Services Pedestrian Bridge Banner webpage.

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