SEATTLE — Editor's note: The above video on the West Seattle Bridge passing its final safety test originally aired September 15, 2022.
West Seattleites have anxiously awaited the West Seattle Bridge to re-open after its shutdown for the past two-plus years. SDOT finally announced the re-opening of the bridge late on Saturday night.
Otter on the Rocks, a new cocktail bar in West Seattle, opened its doors nearly seven months ago. Despite opening while West Seattle felt somewhat isolated, business has been strong.
“We’re lucky to be in West Seattle, it's a great community that likes to support local businesses so business has been good,” said Bronco Penhale, who’s worked there since it opened.
Now, the establishment is ready to welcome so-called “mainlanders” back to West Seattle.
“Excited to be reconnected and I think people from West Seattle want to go over there and have people come back over here and be more connected to everybody,” said Penhale.
The bridge first closed in March 2020 after inspectors found cracks in its support structure had spread. The bridge is historically a high-volume roadway, with more than 100,000 vehicles and 25,000 transit riders using it daily before the closure.
“I will try to experience the new bridge for the first time, “ said Abdel Fattah Elmakkawy, who moved to West Seattle a year ago.
West Seattleites definitely are ready for an easier commute.
“We’re not going to miss West Marginal Way. That's the longest route you can take. It can take almost an hour or longer to get to Kent,” said Hawa Ali.
Others are looking forward to less congestion.
“I don't commute so it hasn’t impacted me personally but it certainly impacts us all indirectly because of the increased traffic on the alternate routes and in the neighborhoods,” said Vineet Waahi, who lives in West Seattle.
The West Seattle Bridge passed its final safety test this week and SDOT said the bridge is now strong and safe with nearly 60 miles of steel cable backbone, 100,000 square feet of carbon fiber wrapping, and 240 gallons of epoxy filling cracks.
“I expect there will be a lot of whooping and hollering and cheering when it finally does open and people can go across the bridge,” said Waahi.
Waahi said it’s a great time for people who don't live in West Seattle to come back and rediscover what’s so great about it.
SDOT finally announced the re-opening of the bridge just after 9 p.m. on Saturday night.
SDOT said it’s confident that the repaired bridge will stand strong for decades to come, fulfilling its original lifespan.