2 more South Park Bridge $ notes, including how Seattle might pay

| South Park | Transportation | West Seattle news

(King County rendering of future South Park Bridge)
First – the Puget Sound Regional Council has just finalized its $15 million South Park Bridge replacement-funding pledge, bringing total commitments to $98 million of the needed $130 million, according to an announcement just sent by the county. (The recommended pledge was first reported two weeks ago.) Second – at last night’s Delridge District Council meeting at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, City Council President Richard Conlin was asked by Pigeon Point’s Pete Spalding how the city will rustle up the $15 million it recently pledged to the bridge-replacement project. Conlin replied that options included adding the money to what the city borrows, delaying some Bridging the Gap programs, or perhaps a car-tab fee of up to $20. ADDED 3:46 PM: In coverage of the PSRC vote, our partners at the Seattle Times also report that demolition of the now-out-of-service bridge’s drawspans is set to start next month.

coffee July 22, 2010 (8:10 pm)

so my question is, if the money is secured, how long till construction could start? Is it the standard 1-3 years so a design can be done, and then permitting, and community input, and then back to the drawing board to do it all over again, or is it something that can be created fast?

WSB July 22, 2010 (9:28 pm)

It’s designed, and right-of-way permitting etc. is done or almost done. So this is classified as “shovel-ready,” though it still doesn’t necessarily mean that if the TIGER II grant is granted, it’ll start five days later … bidding and all that would ensue.

DP July 23, 2010 (9:42 am)

I’ve heard people complaining about the Monorail’s cost of $1 million per foot, but at $130 million, it seems like this bridge will cost about as much as that, per foot. And with the bridge, there isn’t even an issue with right of way, like there was the Monorail.

I’d be interested to know why such a relatively small project costs so much money. Does anybody besides me wonder how they came up with the numbers on this thing?

BTW: The first “official” price I heard for this was $150 million. Now it’s down to $130 million. Well, that’s progress.

bridge to somewhere July 23, 2010 (12:31 pm)

Any chance Mr. McGinn will show up to “help” clarify (i.e., stall) the project?

Dawson July 24, 2010 (9:09 pm)

One would expect the 130 million was the cost to build the new bridge while the old one still operated. Plans showed some swooping approaches at either end. Now that the bridge is decommissioned it seems the cost would be considerably less as the bridge could be razed and existing footprint used.

Sorry, comment time is over.