Portage Bay Bridge and Roanoke Lid Project construction begins this week

Washington State Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 11/05/2024 01:54 PM PST
There is a horizontal green band that reads Rest of the West News. Above it is the letters W S D O T. An oval on the right reads state route 520.

In this update:

SR 520 Portage Bay Bridge and Roanoke Lid Project begins this week

Dear neighbors,

We’re reaching out to alert you about the start of the SR 520 Portage Bay Bridge and Roanoke Lid Project.

Beginning the week of Nov. 4, crews will start piledriving in Portage Bay to build the temporary work trestle and future westbound Portage Bay bridge. A work trestle is essentially a temporary platform that crews need to build so they can construct the permanent bridge.

This will be the first of six piledriving “seasons” allowed on this project. Each season lasts from September through April. This first season – from November 2024 through April 2025 – will be the most significant season of impact piledriving work. The following seasons will have less piledriving – and some seasons may not drive piles at all.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • Piles are large steel poles that provide the support structure for a bridge. Crews will use two methods to install or “drive” the piles. The first method uses a vibratory hammer to “vibrate” the piles into the bottom of the bay. The second method uses an impact hammer to strike the piles like a hammer into the base of the bay. This project will use both piledriving methods throughout the project with some noted restrictions below.
  • For this first season, crews will install piles into Portage Bay with impact hammers six days a week, Monday through Saturday, between November 2024 and April 2025. Typical impact piledriving hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays (and potentially Sundays), 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Crews will also vibrate piles using vibratory hammers. Vibratory hammers do not have the same restrictions as impact hammers because they are less loud. Crews are allowed to use vibratory hammers year-round, so you should expect to feel vibrations throughout this project’s construction.
  • You can expect intermittent nighttime work for the entire project. Nighttime work hours are from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekends. In general, crews do not plan to drive piles up until 10 p.m. but there could be potential situations where it’s necessary. We will notify neighbors in advance if we need to drive piles at night.
  • Any noisy impact work at night will require a temporary noise variance from the city of Seattle and eligible nearby neighbors will receive hotel vouchers. We will notify neighbors about nighttime work 72 hours in advance, at minimum.

While we originally planned to begin major construction earlier this fall, we do not expect the delay to affect the overall completion timeline for the project of 2031.

On Oct. 15, Skanska hosted their first construction update meeting and shared a lot of information about what to expect this year and early next year. Missed the meeting? View the recording and meeting materials on the SR 520 Portage Bay Bridge and Roanoke Lid Project webpage (under the related links tab.) We will share information about future meetings in these email updates, so make sure you’re signed up to stay informed!

We want your help!

Please share this email with your friends and neighbors to help us alert as many people as possible about the start of this project. 

If you have any questions, please call the project's 24-hour construction hotline at 206-319-4520.

Construction Corner roundup

  • Nov. 4-6: Lane and sidewalk closures on Delmar Drive East

  • Nov. 4-6: East North Street closed daily

  • Nov. 4-6: Sidewalk on the west side of Montlake Boulevard closed daily

  • Nov. 6: SR 520 closed in both directions across Lake Washington overnight (eastbound access to Montlake only)
  • Nov. 7-12: Sidewalk on East Roanoke Street closed daily

  • Nov. 8-11: Lake Washington Boulevard between Montlake Boulevard and East Foster Island Road closed around-the-clock

  • Nov. 11-13: SR 520 Trail and Bill Dawson Trail closed (weather dependent)

  • Nov. 11-14: Westbound SR 520 off-ramp to Lake Washington Boulevard closed nightly

  • Ongoing: Montlake Boulevard on-ramp to eastbound SR 520 closed weeknights

Check out the SR 520 Construction Corner map for the most up-to-date information on closures and construction impacts

How to reach us and stay informed about SR 520 construction:

  • Call or text our project-specific construction hotlines with pressing questions or concerns related to the:
    • Montlake Project: 206-775-8885
    • SR 520/I-5 Connection Project: 206-316-2559 
    • Portage Bay Project: 206-319-4520
  • Call the SR 520 Program information line (206-200-9484, M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.) with general SR 520 inquiries.
  • Email SR 520 staff with your questions about the project or construction activities.
  • Visit the SR 520 Construction Corner for the most up-to-date information on closures and construction impacts.
  • Visit the SR 520 Program website to find general information about the project.
  • Email Regina Glenn, WSDOT Megaprograms Diversity and Inclusion Manager, for more information about contracting opportunities.
  • Follow us on Twitter @wsdot_520 to get key news and updates about the SR 520 program.
  • View current Montlake Project construction photos, taken continuously day and night, by mounted construction cameras
  • Share the ROTW listserv with your friends and neighbors

If you have difficulty understanding English, you may request language assistance services free of charge by calling (360) 705-7090 or emailing TitleVI@WSDOT.WA.GOV.

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中文 - Chinese 翻译服务 如果您难以理解英文，则请致电：(360) 705-7090，或给我们发送电子邮件： TitleVI@WSDOT.WA.GOV，请求获取免费语言援助服务。

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Thank you for signing up for the SR 520 Rest of the West news email updates. WSDOT will keep the community informed of current and planned construction activities through these updates and the tools listed above.