News about the week ahead for the West Seattle Bridge Program.
 This week, crews finished installing lighting inside the bridge for the permanent inspection platforms. These newly installed and illuminated platforms will allow inspectors to easily monitor the bridge’s interior concrete in the months and years to come. On top of frequent visual inspection, the bridge’s 24/7 monitoring system continues to transmit real-time data to our bridge inspection team.
With the interior light installation work complete, crews ended the nighttime lane closures on the high bridge that were needed to finish this work after the bridge opened. An additional nighttime lane closure on the high bridge will be needed to adjust several signs in the coming weeks.
 With repairs on the high bridge complete, we have shifted our focus to the Spokane St Swing Bridge (low bridge) which served as a vital connection to West Seattle for emergency services, transit, those seeking life-saving medical treatment, and freight during the 2 ½-year high bridge closure.
We are proactively strengthening the low bridge by reinforcing its spans with epoxy injections and carbon-fiber wrapping. These methods, which we just used on the high bridge, reinforce the structure’s concrete, which will prepare it to serve the community for decades to come.
 Crews on the work platforms apply carbon-fiber wrapping to the exterior of the low bridge’s spans to reinforce the concrete.
This week, crews completed exterior carbon-fiber reinforcement work and will now transition to the interior of the bridge’s spans in the coming weeks.
Between 1 AM on Saturday, October 8 and 5 AM on Tuesday, October 11 mariners will have limited access under the low bridge to navigate the Duwamish Waterway. During this time, we will perform single-sided openings of the low bridge, which is when only the west half of the bridge will be able to open for marine vessels.
This change is necessary to allow us to remove and replace one of the bridge’s hydraulic pumps and conduct other routine maintenance. The pump is part of the system that allows the sides of the low bridge to open and close to maritime traffic.
People walking, biking, rolling or driving on the low bridge will not be affected.
This weekend, we’re completing paving work as part of the Reconnect West Seattle program.
On Saturday and Sunday from 7 AM to 4 PM, we’re paving a section of Sylvan Way SW between SW Orchard St and SW Sylvan Heights Dr. Traffic will be maintained in both directions – however, please anticipate minor delays.
On Saturday, we’re replacing concrete panels at the intersection of 34th Ave SW and SW Barton St. We expect to start this work around 7 AM and conclude by 3 PM. On Sunday, we’ll have traffic control in place, so people do not drive on the new panels while the concretes cures. Please navigate the area with caution.
On Saturday, from 7 AM to 4 PM, we’ll be installing a new crash cushion on SW Spokane St in the vicinity of 11th Ave SW that will impact people travelling in the eastbound direction. We will be working on the eastern end of Harbor Island, where eastbound Spokane St splits into three ramp options. There will be a detour in place. Please anticipate delays while traveling in the area.
In 2020, we asked people who live or work in West Seattle to identify transportation challenges in the wake of the West Seattle Bridge closure. Community input informed the improvements we made and now we’re following up to learn how these investments helped you get around.
Last chance to take the survey! Deadline has been extended through October 3rd.
Reconnect West Seattle is a program to support neighborhoods impacted by the West Seattle Bridge closure by improving traffic calming, pedestrian mobility, and neighborhood livability. The Implementation Plan Quarterly Report provides a summary of our work thus far, as well as next steps. You can also see a list of completed and upcoming projects in the report.
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Seattle Transportation Plan: The second phase of engagement has begun. During our first phase of engagement, which ran from May to August 2022, we asked about your vision for the future of transportation in Seattle. Now we need your help to turn those ideas into actions. Visit the Seattle Transportation Plan Online Engagement Hub to get involved. You can also send an email to stp@seattle.gov or call 206-257-2114 with questions, concerns, or comments about the Seattle Transportation Plan.
If you or someone you know wants to talk with us, give feedback, or could benefit from having this information read to them in another language, please call (206) 400-7511.
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