Spokane St Swing Bridge (low bridge) closing to people driving, walking and biking April 19-28, 2024
Summary:
- Planning, design, and construction for the initial phase of the Spokane St Swing Bridge Rehabilitation Program took place from 2020 to 2022.
- Subsequent phases of this work will continue into 2025.
- The work taking place in April 2024 will be to upgrade the current control and communications system.
- Travel resources exist for people traveling around Duwamish Valley communities and to and from West Seattle while the Spokane St Swing Bridge is closed.
- Use these links to view recommendations on how to get around during the closure.
- Riding the bus
- Riding the Water Taxi
- Driving or carpooling on the West Seattle Bridge (high bridge)
- Freight and business access to Harbor Island and Terminal 5
The Spokane St Swing Bridge was built in 1991 serves as a crucial link across the West Duwamish Waterway, especially for pedestrians and bicyclists. The Bridge’s Rehabilitation Program's initial phase, including planning, design, and construction, was from 2020 to 2022. Additional phases of this project are expected to continue through 2025.
From April 19 through April 28, crews will reroute the control tower wires from the high bridge to a new conduit beneath the West Duwamish Waterway that connects to the motors that open and close the bridge. This work will require us to close the low bridge for people driving, biking, and walking for about one week. Updating the current control and communications system will keep the bridge reliably operating today and in the future.
 The Communications System runs along the bridge currently. We want to change this.
 When our work is complete, the communication line will run underneath the Duwamish River.
Travel resources exist for people traveling around Duwamish Valley communities and to and from West Seattle while the Spokane St Swing Bridge is closed. Here are some options to get around during the closure:
Riding the bus
The bus provides a reliable option to get to many destinations on both sides of the Duwamish Waterway. Buses travel via the high bridge and can be used by people walking, riding conventional bikes, and in wheelchairs. Buses are the fastest way to get across the Duwamish Waterway without driving.
We encourage you to visit King County Metro’s trip planner page to find the latest bus route and schedule information for your trip.
Riding the Water Taxi
King County operates the West Seattle Water Taxi, which provides direct service from West Seattle to downtown Seattle, with full service 7 days per week through the winter, except for select holidays. Their large vessels can store up to 26 bikes at a time.
Driving or carpooling on the West Seattle Bridge (high bridge)
The high bridge remains open to drivers and offers a direct connection for many travelers to reach their destinations. There are currently no restrictions on vehicle access. This bridge is not accessible to pedestrians or people biking. Signs are posted in various locations stating this.
Freight and business access to Harbor Island and Terminal 5
Truck drivers, Port workers, and other people who need to access Harbor Island and Terminal 5 are still able to do so, though they need to be aware of the route before making their trip. Access to Harbor Island remains available from the east via SW Spokane St, before reaching the Spokane St Swing Bridge, as shown in the map below. For those traveling to Terminal 5 from the east, please use alternate routes, such as the West Seattle high bridge.
Walking, biking, and rolling
People walking, biking, and rolling will not be able to use the low bridge to cross the Duwamish Waterway during the closure.
There are several other routes to get around the closure by bike, including West Marginal Way SW where we recently added permanent safety barriers to the protected bike lane. Check out our Bike Map to see where there are bike facilities.
Transit is another reliable option for people walking and rolling to use during the closure.
To support travelers impacted by the closure, and to help make transit access easier and more affordable, we’ve partnered with King County Metro to make it even easier to ride the bus or West Seattle Water Taxi with Transit Go Tickets throughout the closure. This offer will provide a daily round trip over the Duwamish while the bridge is closed. To access the offer, follow the directions below using the Transit Go Ticket app and rewards code LOWBRIDGE24. The fares are funded by the Seattle Transit Measure, which was passed by voters in 2020.
How to access bus and water taxi credits during the low bridge closure:
- Download the Transit Go Ticket app and create an account.
- Click on “Rewards,”select “More,” then tap “Rewards Code” and enter code LOWBRIDGE24. (The code will be active from April 19-28)
- Tap “Claim”and then the "Redeem" tab; you will see “Low Bridge Closure” tickets available for King County Metro Bus or King County Water Taxi.
- Select the ticket of your choice and tap “Redeem for Free” and “View Ticket.”You can see your tickets any time under “Use”.
- When you are ready to ride, tap on your ticket and then “Activate”; show it to your transit operator.
- Visit “Redeem” to follow these steps again for your reverse trip.
- Once you’ve used this code, it will allow you to redeem two tickets for each day the bridge is closed (while supplies last). Just visit Redeem tab in Rewards for those additional tickets.
Bridge closures are a real challenge, and we appreciate your patience as we complete this critical work. To stay informed about the project, sign up to receive project updates.
Here’s how else you can stay informed:
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