Two steps closer to bridge repair: West Seattle Transportation Coalition, report #1

Rather than one big wrapup, we’re breaking cpverage tonight’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting into separate topics. First – two milestones on the way to West Seattle Bridge repair work. SDOT’s Sara Zora said the repair design has reached the 60 percent stage, and that plan is being “circulated” now for review. For months, SDOT has said that once it gets to the 60 percent design mark, it will be able to hone in on a better estimate for bridge reopening than the “mid-2022” that’s been cited for a long time. Also, Zora said, they’ve officially issued a Notice to Proceed for repair contractor Kraemer North America, which means the contract has been finalized. She said they’re running a little bit ahead of schedule, because that wasn’t expected until the end of the month (as noted when the contractor choice was announced). We’ll be checking tomorrow with SDOT to see what additional information is available, since the next scheduled update isn’t until the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force meets July 14th. Meantime, SDOT also brought West Marginal Way speed and collision information to tonight’s WSTC meeting, as the group had requested; we’ll report on that separately.

John June 24, 2021 (11:05 pm)

As my grandmother would have said I’ll believe it when I see it

D.frayter June 25, 2021 (4:54 am)

2024 if we are lucky

Jim June 25, 2021 (3:09 pm)

You’re more optimistic than me I was thinking 2025

Smittytheclown June 25, 2021 (6:26 am)

As we open up and normal returns traffic is -as expected – getting worse and worse. Hoping the “mid-2022” was a sandbag so that when they announce it’s opening in March we are all ecstatic for “only” a two year closure. Unbelievable. Yes we know…..ride the bus, ride your bike, walk. Blah, blah, blah.

Joe June 25, 2021 (6:45 am)

Will their be a guarantee on the repair this time? Why is the original builder of the bridge not warranteed their build. Bridge did not last nearly as long as it should have!!!

Foop June 25, 2021 (7:42 am)

I’d really like to return the bridge to true value but I’ve lost my receipt!
John June 25, 2021 (3:10 pm)

I’m sure unfortunately there’s certain legal protections to the builder but honestly what it boils down to in this case is the city did not properly maintain this bridge and take action when this problem started.I mean you don’t go after Ford because you didn’t change the oil for 50,000 miles

Richard S June 25, 2021 (7:25 am)

HOW HAS THIS NOT BEGUN YET. THIS COULDNT HAVE HAPPENED AT A MORE PERFECT MOMENT TO NOT AFFECT HARDLY ANYONE FOR OVER A YEAR…BUT NO LETS FINALLY GET OUR S TOGETHER RIGHT WHEN CONSTRUCTION IS ALSO SHUTTING DOWN SOUTHBOUND I5 LANES. WHO IS THIS OBLIVIOUS TO SQUANDER SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY.

Mark P June 25, 2021 (9:41 am)

Design, engineering, and contracting takes some time, my friend. You don’t just send contractors out to a bridge and say “fix it”.
- Rico June 26, 2021 (1:04 pm)
  
  They knew in 2007 the bridge needed to be fixed……. How much more time do you need?
  - Tery June 27, 2021 (8:29 am)
    
    They knew long before 2007. The nisqually quake was the beginning of the end of the post tensioned box beams. The w.s. bridge has the same dodgy structure as the condo that collapsed in surfside florida. So we are going to throw good money after bad to preserve an unsafe center section structure that should be removed and replaced with a steel structure that is safe and will last.

Lucy June 25, 2021 (9:17 am)

Wait. Repairs haven’t even started yet?

Richard June 25, 2021 (9:32 am)

Anyone suggesting that repairs should have started by now has zero, and I mean Z E R O, understanding of large-scale, public infrastructure projects. I’m sure you would have been thrilled to have the bridge “repaired” & operating in 180 days … until it came crashing down with many lives lost.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave & just woke up, most intelligent people understand this is a long step-by-step process, which is required to get the bridge operating again, safely.

No one is happy about this, ship happens. Now go eat your cookies & take a nap.

Lucy June 25, 2021 (7:53 pm)

Wow. You seem nice.
Hammer in Hand June 25, 2021 (8:42 pm)

Don’t fool yourself, it may come crashing down even after it is fixed
- Tery June 27, 2021 (8:35 am)
  
  You mean that the duct tape and rubber band repair won’t last. I am shocked.
CHRIS CAMERON June 26, 2021 (9:35 pm)

Easy tiger. Not everyone is as highly intelligent as you.
- Tery June 29, 2021 (1:10 pm)
  
  Why, thank you.

Mj June 25, 2021 (9:49 am)

Two items:

SDoT needs to get the reinforcement steel pre-ordered

and two commit to providing midday bus service to all areas of WS that historically had such service this Fall until the bridge is repaired and open.

Reals June 25, 2021 (9:53 am)

Inch by inch life’s a cinchYard by yard it’s mighty hard

Chris June 25, 2021 (10:14 am)

Bridge Closed, no repairs started, no contract finalized, closed lower bridge, closed at certain traffic points and under construction Delridge, 1st Ave Bridge closed for repairs, and all while the world is getting back to normal – great city planning West Seattle. I honestly think there should be a boycott to paying our registration fee’s and protests to get this thing started. Open the lower bridge to everyone, have traffic cops at busy intersections waving the copious amount vehicles coming and going, put all of the city resources into getting the Delridge project finished for goodness sake, work in the evenings so you’re not disrupting traffic patterns during the day. Is it me or does this just seem like common sense? Maybe not so common now a days or maybe I could be described as naive. What do I know, I’m just living on an island in the matrix. Have a good day fellow West Seattle-ites.

Here's2You June 25, 2021 (6:48 pm)

Sounds like a great time to build a bike lane too
- Patricia June 26, 2021 (6:19 am)
  
  What is with the Delridge project. It looks like they putting in giant planting strips down the turn lane and reduced the speed. The one reason they took awy two lanes and put in the turn lane was as they said ” to make it safer to turn”
  - WSB June 26, 2021 (8:50 pm)
    
    We have long reported on the design. Community members originally proposed the landscaped medians.
Eldorado June 26, 2021 (12:50 am)

The feeling is mutual.

proofs June 25, 2021 (10:57 am)

HOME in on, not hone (sharpen or perfect). You guys are so excellent at writing, I was a bit surprised!

WSB June 25, 2021 (11:18 am)

Thanks. Though “home” has the edge, both are acceptable.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/home-in-or-hone-in

Phil June 25, 2021 (5:42 pm)

Have the great minds at the City ever identified precisely why the present Bridge failed so they don’t repeat the problem??

Chemist June 25, 2021 (8:39 pm)

After previously suggesting during May’s Bridge Community Task Force that they could get an answer together to release around the time the bridge contractor was announced, they then suggested (thanks Anne Higura for reminding them of our desire for the question to be answered) during the June Community Task Force meeting it was a more complex explanation and they might get an answer prepared for the public by the 60 or 90% design time. Although now we’re learning they’re at 60% design so who knows if they’ll do it at 60% or keep us waiting until 90%

Here's2You June 25, 2021 (6:50 pm)

Anxiously waiting report # 2. West Marginal is now a curse word. I’m curious what they said.

Teri Cooper June 26, 2021 (8:11 am)

I would feel safer if it were just replaced.

Terry July 4, 2021 (4:20 pm)

Teri, you are exactly correct. The proper remedy to the current suspect structural system would be to remove the failed centre section span and replace with a steel centre span as correctly proposed by HNTB engineers.

Sorry, comment time is over.