GeekWire 200 startup index analysis shows hottest industries emerging from Pacific Northwest, Seattle’s historic viaduct is gone in just months as demolition transforms city’s waterfront, and more in this week’s Seattle in the Spotlight.

GeekWire 200 Startup Index Analysis Shows Hottest Industries Emerging from Pacific Northwest

GeekWire | James Thorne | September 26

“The quality of local startups in a region can often indicate the future of a tech ecosystem. To find out what the future may have in store for the Pacific Northwest, we analyzed companies that recently joined the GeekWire 200, our ranking of privately held startups in the area. The results offer a glimpse into both the current and emerging strengths that the region has to offer.”

New Video: Seattle’s Historic Viaduct is Gone in Just Months as Demolition Transforms City’s Waterfront

GeekWire | Kurt Schlosser | September 23

“The Alaskan Way Viaduct was an artery through the heart of downtown Seattle for more than 60 years, carrying people and goods along a stretch of the city’s waterfront. In just months, the historic highway was chewed up and trucked away, making way for a transformed section of the city that’s come out of the shadows of the elevated structure. The Washington State Department of Transportation announced Monday that the last remaining portions of the roadway came down over the weekend. The 1.4 miles of concrete and steel between Pike Place Market and the stadiums have now been demolished and only a small section of cleanup and demolition remains.”

Sea-Tac Airport Joins West Coast Project with Fast-Charge EV Station

Puget Sound Business Journal | Andrew McIntosh | September 22

“Seattle-Tacoma International Airport became a power stop along the West Coast Electric Highway this month with the opening of two fast-charging electric vehicle stations. The EV fast chargers are available to the public through a public-private partnership that includes the Port of Seattle, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Forth and EVgo, which is building fast-charging stations across the U.S. The WSDOT’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Partnerships Program provided a $595,000 grant to help pay for charging stations in six communities along Interstate 5. Sea-Tac Airport is the fifth of six locations to open as part of the project.”

How Washington State Plans to Create the World’s Largest Hybrid-Powered, Auto-Carrying Ferries

GeekWire | Lisa Stiffler | September 21

The world’s maritime industry is beginning to transition from air-fouling, climate-warming diesel fuel to cleaner energy — and Washington state’s ferry fleet is getting on board. The state Department of Transportation is putting together a deal to convert three of its largest ferries into electric-diesel hybrids, and recently marked an agreement to build up to five new, slightly smaller hybrid ferries. “The entire traditional [maritime] industry is shifting around the globe. It’s almost like the shift from sail to steam,” said Joshua Berger, the maritime sector lead for Gov. Jay Inslee at the state’s Department of Commerce. Washington leaders and industries are eager to be a player in the field, and view the creation of hybrid power ferries as a key part of their strategy.