SEATTLE — The West Seattle Low Bridge will remain closed for at least two weeks while transportation officials repair mechanical issues exacerbated by power outages during last week's ice storm.
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) said the Spokane Street Swing Bridge, also known as the West Seattle Low Bridge, will be closed for biking, walking, driving and freight traffic for at least two weeks. The bridge has been closed since Dec. 23.
"It's a complex bridge, it's an unusual bridge, it's practically one of a kind with its complex hydraulic systems, communications and controls so as you can imagine we're all hands on deck trying to find out what the problem is," SDOT Deputy Director Francisca Stefan said. "We're beginning to have some clarity, although- any of these complex systems, the problem can appear to be in one place and then the problem is deeper in the system."
SDOT officials said in a release on Tuesday that the problem was initially associated with a computer issue while the bridge was powering back up after an outage. Once the computer issue was resolved, engineers found minor issues with the hydraulic system that moves the bridge had "intensified," according to the release.
SDOT engineers are analyzing possible repair options for the low bridge, but officials do not have an estimate for how long repairs will take. There were existing plans to repair the "aging components" in the low bridge in 2023, but SDOT said the small-scale issues have escalated into more severe problems.
"We are being careful that we don't do any interim operations that could cause further damage," Stefan said.
SDOT said additional low bridge closures for repairs may be needed in 2023 along with closures associated with "planned capital improvements" to the bridge next year. The projects include carbon-fiber wrapping and epoxy crack fillings to structurally rehabilitate the bridge, communications and control system upgrades and a lift cylinder rehabilitation on the east of the waterway.
The agency said it is working with King County Metro, the Port of Seattle and the freight community to minimize the effect of the bridge's closure to the public.
"Certainly it didn't sneak up on us, this is a bridge we knew needed attention and we have been giving it attention, and what happened on Friday was an intensification of what had been a manageable thing that we knew was starting to occur and we were getting to in 2023," Stefan said.
Here are detour routes for the low bridge, provided by SDOT:
- People traveling by car may use the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge.
- Freight and people operating trucks headed to Terminal 5 in West Seattle may use the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge or West Marginal Way Southwest.
- People riding King County Metro buses are not affected because transit does not use the low bridge during normal operations. SDOT is coordinating with Metro to plan for potential snow storms, as the low bridge is a part of the transit snow network.
- King County has expanded its water taxi service this winter with sailings seven days a week. The water taxi serves people walking, rolling, and biking unless sailings are canceled due to high winds and waves. The water taxi is not scheduled to sail on Jan. 1 or Jan. 2.
- People biking may also use the 1st Avenue South Bridge.