Six weeks after the South Park Bridge closed for good – by opening the drawbridge leaves and keeping them that way – demolition is about to begin, according to a news release from King County, though the leaves won’t be the first thing to go. Read on for details:

Neighborhood residents and businesses will see significantly more construction activity around the South Park Bridge beginning Aug. 16 as crews begin demolishing vacant structures and prepare to remove the bascule leaves from the bridge. The work will set the stage for future construction of a new South Park Bridge when a funding package is in place.

Initial work will focus on the removal of vacant structures on county-owned property adjacent to the bridge to accommodate construction staging. Crews will also begin preparing the bascule leaves for removal.

Between late August and early September, the Duwamish Waterway will be the scene of major activity as barges and a crane detach and remove the leaves. This phase will likely require some nighttime work due to restrictions in closing the waterway to marine traffic. The giant 225-ton leaves will then be barged to another site for salvage and recycling.

During this phase of the project, people who live or travel in the South Park area may notice more truck traffic and elevated noise levels as work is being performed. But most of the activity will be on the river.

The 79-year-old South Park Bridge has reached the end of its life and was closed earlier this summer for safety reasons. Recognizing the crucial role the bridge plays in supporting the local economy and moving vehicles and freight, Executive Constantine, agency partners and community members have been aggressively working to put together a funding package to get a new bridge built.

For more information about the South Park Bridge, visit
www.kingcounty.gov/southparkbridge

At last report, the money raised for a replacement bridge was approaching $100 million – $130 million is needed.