(SDOT camera image, 2023)

It’s been three months since we last asked SDOT about the upcoming resurfacing project for the eastbound side of the east half of the West Seattle Bridge, officially known as the Spokane Street Viaduct. SDOT had told us in March that the project would likely happen this summer – and summer’s about to officially start. As of yesterday morning, the project website hadn’t been updated since we inquired in March, so we asked about the status. Spokesperson Mariam Ali replied, “We’re working with the construction contractor to determine the schedule. We will update you when specific dates are chosen, but at this point it looking like construction may begin in the late summer or fall of 2024.” (Concurrent with that reply to us, the project website was updated.) According to the city’s bidding website, the contractor chosen for the work is Combined Construction, which bid just under $7.5 million. The same company resurfaced part of the rest of the bridge during its 2020-2022 closure, as well as the Andover pedestrian-bridge earthquake-resistance work three years ago. SDOT says the Spokane Street Viaduct work, whenever it starts, will require five weekend closures.