Latest milestone has West Seattle Bridge repairs ‘right on schedule’

The West Seattle Bridge. (SDOT, Flickr Creative Commons)

The Seattle Department of Transportation announced another major milestone in its efforts to repair and reopen the West Seattle Bridge, along with the unveiling of additional plans to build a new bike path along West Marginal Way Southwest.

Mayor Durkan decides to repair the West Seattle Bridge instead of replacing it

At the end of May, SDOT hired the construction company Kraemer North America to manage the repair work on the bridge. Now the city has signed its contract with the company and submitted its interim planning plans, which will enable Kraemer to review them for “ways to maximize efficiency and speed up schedules”.

“This means Kraemer can now start contacting suppliers for the custom-made materials needed to complete the repairs,” SDOT said in a blog post on Wednesday. “They will also be bringing in local talent to rehabilitate the bridge as we continue to pursue an agreement on community workers.”

This means that the city is “right on schedule” to complete its design plans by September.

The repair of the bridge is expected to be back online for drivers in West Seattle by mid-2022. SDOT believes this $ 47 million repair could add 15 to 40 years of lifespan to the bridge.

Workers finished the first phase of stabilization last December after coating epoxy injections with carbon fiber wraps to slow the propagation of cracks. In the next phase, more carbon fiber coatings are added “to increase the bridge strength”.

History of the West Seattle Bridge

Once the bridge reopens, SDOT plans to install a new bike path on West Marginal Way Southwest as the final stretch of a network between South Park and the West Seattle Bridge Trail. The decision was made “after a thorough traffic data analysis that predicts that adding the new cycle path will have a minimal impact on the number of vehicles using the road and how long it will take to drive in the area”.

“Better and safer bike paths make cycling a more practical means of transport in the city,” SDOT said on Wednesday. “As we prepare for our new normal, Seattle has the opportunity to build lasting, positive change towards a more livable and safer city for everyone.”