West Seattle Bridge | |
|---|---|
 The West Seattle Bridge from the west side, seen during a closure in 2020 | |
| Coordinates | 47°34′16″N 122°21′00″W / 47.57111°N 122.35000°W |
| Carries | 7 lanes |
| Crosses | Duwamish Waterway |
| Locale | Seattle, Washington |
| Other name(s) | Jeanette Williams Memorial Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | segmental, cantilever |
| Total length | 2,607 ft (795 m)[1] |
| Longest span | 590 ft (179.83 m) |
| Clearance below | 140 ft (43 m) |
| History | |
| Designer | Andersen Bjornstad Kane Jacobs, Inc.[2] |
| Opened | July 14, 1984[3] |
| Rebuilt | 2020–2022 |
| Location | |
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The West Seattle Bridge, officially the Jeanette Williams Memorial Bridge, is a cantilevered segmental bridge that serves as the primary connection between West Seattle and important highways such as State Route 99 (and the tunnel through downtown), the Spokane Street Viaduct, and Interstate 5. It was built between 1981 and 1984 after the previous bascule bridge was deemed inoperable as a result of being struck by the freighter Antonio Chavez in 1978.
The high-level bridge was closed in March 2020 after cracks in the underside were found to be growing rapidly, necessitating a major repair amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Seattle Department of Transportation conducted repairs over a two-and-a-half-year period and reopened the bridge on September 17, 2022.
Bicycles are usually not allowed on the bridge.[4]
- ^ "West Seattle Bridge Ceremonially Renamed the "Jeanette Williams Memorial Bridge"" (Press release). Seattle City Council. October 23, 2009. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
- ^ Kane, Thomas; Carpenter, James; Clark, John (November–December 1983). "Approach Spans to the West Seattle Bridge" (PDF). PCI Journal. 28 (6): 58–67. doi:10.15554/pcij.11011983.58.67. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 1, 2020.
- ^ Long, Priscilla (May 29, 2007). "West Seattle Bridge is dedicated on July 14, 1984". HistoryLink. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
- ^ "Pedal Car-Free Over the West Seattle Bridge on May 5! | Cascade Bicycle Club". cascade.org. March 11, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.