Spokane St Swing Bridge (low bridge) closing June 7 – 8 to people driving, walking, rolling, and biking
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 throughout 2025.
- The work taking place in June 2025 will be to reinstall the final turn cylinder that was removed during a previous closure.
- 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.
The Spokane St Swing Bridge, commonly known as the low bridge, was built in 1991 and serves as a crucial link across the West Duwamish Waterway, especially for people walking, rolling, and biking. To keep the bridge reliably operating, starting June 7 and continuing through June 8, the low bridge will be closed for people driving, biking, rolling, and walking for about two days. During this time, crews will reinstall the remaining refurbished cylinder that was removed from the west pier during the October 2024 low bridge closure. Work on this project is expected to continue throughout 2025.
 The bridge span is opened and closed by turn cylinders that push and pull on the lift cylinder.
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 without driving. Buses travel via the high bridge and can be used by people walking, riding conventional bikes, and in wheelchairs.
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.
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.
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 detour 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.
 The map above shows different routes to enter Harbor Island and Terminal 5 during the low bridge closure.
 The map above shows different routes to exit Harbor Island and Terminal 5 during the low bridge closure.
We appreciate your patience as we complete this critical work to keep the bridge reliably operating today and in the future. To stay informed about the project, sign up to receive project updates.
What’s Next
We will keep fixing another part of the bridge early in 2025 to make sure it keeps working well. Over the next year, additional short-term closures will be required as part of our ongoing preventative maintenance work on this bridge. That means that in the future, the low bridge will be closed again to people walking, biking, rolling, and driving.
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