(Thursday night photo by Christopher Boffoli)
As reported here a week ago, May 17 is now set as the date when the city will permanently close the 1st Avenue South/South Spokane onramp to the westbound West Seattle Bridge – and that means no access to The Bridge between I-5 and Highway 99 until the new 1st Avenue South on/offramp opens more than a year and a half later. In the meantime, more traffic will be using the “low bridge” – including rerouted Metro buses – so it’s been suggested that the city should reopen its request for restrictions on marine use of that bridge during rush hours. (In 2008, the U.S. Coast Guard rejected a request for permanent restrictions.) This week, we checked with the city regarding the status of a new request to the USCG; SDOT communications manager Rick Sheridan tells us today it hasn’t been formally filed yet:
SDOT is interested in temporarily prohibiting evening rush hour openings of the Lower Spokane Street Swing Bridge starting in May, when a new phase of work begins on the Spokane Street Viaduct. While we believe this proposal has merit, we also understand there might be impacts to some marine users. We are currently in conversations about it with the marine industry, the Port of Seattle and the US Coast Guard, which is an important coordinating step prior to submitting a formal request to the Coast Guard.
City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, chair of the Transportation Committee and main backer of the previous proposal to restrict rush-hour openings, says he’s aware of this and “willing to help.”
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