South Park Bridge update from above, with months to go

(Click image for larger view)
What’s expected to be among the biggest stories in 2014 is the opening of the new South Park Bridge, almost four years after King County shut down the old one out of safety concerns. West Seattle photographer/pilot Long B. Nguyen has just sent three new views of the bridge project, looking toward the east/southeast. The bridge’s control towers, which are wrapped in these views, are the focus of the county’s December update.

(Click image for larger view)
If you’re viewing this from the WSB home page, click ahead for another, even-more-all-encompassing view (and some backstory):

New in the area? Or, for some other reason, never saw the old one? Check out the views from one of the reports in our extensive coverage of its final hours three and a half years ago. At the time, construction of a replacement was not a sure thing, as full funding had not been amassed; that didn’t happen until three months later. Construction began in spring 2011. At the time it was hoped the new bridge would be done by now, but in November of last year, as we first reported on partner site The South Park News, the county disclosed a delay. No estimated opening date has been announced beyond a general expectation of “spring 2014.”

15 Replies to "South Park Bridge update from above, with months to go"

  • pupsarebest December 29, 2013 (12:12 pm)

    Empire State Building took 410 days to complete, a relatively simple bridge, 4+ years…

  • They literally killed Kenny December 29, 2013 (12:33 pm)

    Shame on Seattle for putting the people and businesses of South Park on the back burner.

  • Crash December 29, 2013 (2:52 pm)

    The Empire State Building had something like 3400 workers at a time, and a reported 5 safety related DEATHS.

    The bridge? I’m pretty sure the payroll is nowhere close to 3400 people. No workers have died yet that I know of. Would you rather workers died to make your precious bridge get built faster?
    Ridiculous comparison.

  • smokeycretin9 December 29, 2013 (2:57 pm)

    What they didn’t tell you is the new bridge is bicycle only.

  • Carraig na Splinkeen December 29, 2013 (3:27 pm)

    If I have my boundaries (and facts) correct, the bridge is not in Seattle proper but in unincorporated King County. The bridge’s closure happened during former KC Exec Ron Sims term, but was made a priority to fix by current KC Exec Dow Constantine, who is a native W Seattle-ite.

    • WSB December 29, 2013 (3:58 pm)

      Yes, it is in King County; the KC website is where you will find all the info (linked herein) about the new project. Seattle would have annexed it by now except for the issue of the bridge, who operates it, who pays for it, etc. … However, Ron Sims was already out of office when the closure happened; Dow Constantine took office in 2009. – TR

  • jim December 29, 2013 (3:57 pm)

    This bridge crosses between the city of Tukwila and unincorporated king county. It is not a city of Seattle bridge.

  • pupsarebest December 29, 2013 (3:58 pm)

    However ridiculous Crash may feel my observation may be, it’s not nearly as ridiculous as his suggesting I want people to die in the quest of completing a construction project in a timely manner—sheeesh!

  • West Seattle Hipster December 29, 2013 (5:15 pm)

    Great photos and thank you for the update.

  • old timer December 29, 2013 (5:19 pm)

    Those aerial photos are really neat!
    Looking at them, it’s easy to imagine it’s just
    big boys with big toys playing at road and bridge, except it’s real!
    Glad it’s coming to completion, we will soon have another route off the peninsula.

  • Genesee Hill December 29, 2013 (5:26 pm)

    Please. Let us all whine about the new bridge. On three-two-one-Waaahhhhh.

    Thanks and gawd bless.

  • smokeycretin9 December 29, 2013 (6:39 pm)

    wait…were did plant 2 go?

  • nancy in west seattle December 31, 2013 (3:03 pm)

    And just south of Plant 2 my grandfather farmed land leased from Joe Desimone in the 1930s.

    See Paul Dorpat’s article at http://pauldorpat.com/seattle-now-and-then/seattle-now-then-the-ishii-family-farm/

    You’ll see an aerial view of the farm in relation to Plant 2.

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