Fifth Bridge Rehabilitation and Replacement Project Completed
Bridging the Gap (BTG) has met its first nine-year goal by completing five bridge rehabilitation and replacement projects. This five project goal, a commitment made to voters as part of the levy, was achieved with the on-time and under-budget completion of the East Marginal Way and S Horton Street Bridge. SDOT will soon begin work on another bridge replacement project, the Airport Way S Viaduct over Argo Railroad Yard, and will explore adding two additional structures before the levy ends in 2015.
The latest project, located at East Marginal Way and S Horton Street, was recently completed on-time and under its four million dollar budget. This particular bridge was one of the remaining timber pile supported structures in the city. It was completely demolished, the cavity filled and a new asphalt roadway was constructed. The project team worked closely with the Port of Seattle to keep freight traffic moving in the area through a bypass road across port property.
During the first four and a half years of BTG, $34 million has been invested to replace or rehabilitate some of Seattle’s most vulnerable bridges. The projects completed are: the East Duwamish Waterway Bridge, the Dr. Jose Rizal Bridge, the NE 45th Street Viaduct, the 15th Avenue NE at NE 105th Street Bridge, and the East Marginal Way and South Horton Street Bridge.
In addition to these five projects, work begins this fall on the Airport Way South Viaduct over Argo Railroad Yard with replacement of the north and south approaches, seismic upgrades to the main span and a new driving surface for the span and neighboring streets. This bridge provides a key connection to Georgetown and is vital to moving people and freight to and from south Seattle. Design work is underway on two additional bridges – Yesler Way over Fourth Avenue South and the last remaining timber roadway bridge, located along Fairview Avenue North. SDOT will determine soon if sufficient BTG resources remain to address these additional two bridges.
In addition to the Rehabilitation and Replacement Program, BTG provided funding to help seismically retrofit five key bridges. The program has completed work on South Albro over Airport Way and work is beginning on the Fauntleroy Expressway, with a total investment of $5.5 million on these two projects. Seismic work is also expected to begin on four bridges that are elevated and connect the network of roadways in the King Street Station area in 2012.