A herd of 120 goats arrived today in downtown Seattle on their annual mission to help tidy up areas under the Alaskan Way Viaduct. They started working this afternoon between Lenora and Blanchard streets east of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, munching away at blackberry bushes, thistles, nettles, long grass and other delicious overgrowth. They will remain at this location for about ten days and then move to the Pine Street Hill Climb (under the viaduct at Pine Street) where they are scheduled to work for another week.

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has found the goats to be very effective in controlling overgrowth because they can easily browse on steep slopes that are difficult for crews to access, quickly clearing an area of thick brush and allowing SDOT to avoid the use of herbicides.

The goat wrangler from Rent a Ruminant, http://www.rentaruminant.com, transported the herd in a trailer by ferry from their home on Vashon Island.