West Seattle High-Rise Bridge To Remain Closed Through 2021: SDOT

SEATTLE, WA — The West Seattle High-Rise Bridge will remain closed to traffic until at least 2022 and will require a full replacement, even if repairs are possible, Seattle transportation officials announced Wednesday.

The Seattle Department of Transportation closed the span on March 23 after inspectors found new cracks along the 36-year-old bridge. The Seattle Times reports the bridge ranks as the city's busiest, with an average of 100,000 vehicles traveling across during an average day.

During the emergency closure, traffic on the lower bridge has been restricted to public transit, freight traffic and emergency vehicles.

Transportation officials said it was not immediately clear whether re-opening the existing bridge would be feasible, or what the price tag might be for a temporary fix.

"Everyone rightfully wants to know, 'when will the bridge reopen?' and it's frustrating that we can't answer that question today — in part because we don't have all the information we need to know that reopening the existing bridge will be possible," the department of transportation wrote in a news release. "What we can say, however, is that it's highly unlikely that the bridge will be open to traffic in 2020 or 2021."

As the city explores its options moving forward, transportation crews will continue work to stabilize the bridge and prevent further cracking by replacing bearings and installing temporary support structures.

Transportation officials said planning is underway for a permanent solution to assist commuters during the closure, especially after stay-home orders are lifted and people resume more regular travel patterns.

Learn more about the bridge closure on the SDOT website or sign up to receive email updates here.