WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE CLOSURE: City getting $3.5 million in federal funding for replacement study, commute program

(Reader photo)

The city is getting $3.5 million in federal funding for two projects related to the bridge. The money will be routed from the Puget Sound Regional Council, and the City Council gave its unanimous approval today to accepting it. Here’s how the council staff’s memo explained the plan:

The PSRC Executive Board has agreed to allow the City to use $2 million of the grant award to
conduct a Type, Size, and Location Study for the eventual replacement of the West Seattle Bridge. This study will allow SDOT to explore replacement concepts, such as rebuilding the bridge or pursing a shallow immersed tunnel. This conceptual analysis would lead to future environmental review of alternatives and development of cost estimates.

The remaining $1.5 million of the grant award will be used to support One Center City Transportation Demand Management programs. SDOT intends to use these funds to respond to the West Seattle Bridge closure and focus these programs on providing alternatives to single-occupancy vehicle trips between West Seattle and Downtown. The PSRC funding would provide for program incentives, marketing, user survey assessments, and staff time.

That’s all separate from federal funding that would be pursued toward actual repair and/or replacement of the bridge. P.S. As for what’s happening with the bridge itself, stabilization work is continuing, as updated at last week’s Community Task Force meeting.

Deb July 13, 2020 (5:19 pm)

Thank You PSRC.

Anne July 13, 2020 (5:43 pm)

There will not be viable alternatives for single occupancy vehicles for most. Especially if alternative is a Petri dish-I mean bus.

chemist July 13, 2020 (7:00 pm)

Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.
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eggo July 14, 2020 (1:08 am)

Buses are great! You don’t have to ride the bus, but announcing your refusal to take it because it’s dirty is snobby and elitist. You might be surprised at how many professionals take (took) multiple buses on a daily basis without issue. Many people just have to make it work and make the best of it. I’ve learned to really appreciate it! That’s to say, there’s no reason to be broadly anti-bus if you’re not a regular rider!
- The King July 14, 2020 (7:59 am)
  
  If you believe them, the cdc actually recommended staying away from public transit and taking your own car. So there’s that.
  - eggo July 15, 2020 (11:42 pm)
    
    Yes yes, should’ve clarified, I meant post-vaccine. Those “eww buses” comments predate covid.
- Queenie July 14, 2020 (8:17 am)
  
  I honestly think there are lots of reasons to be anti-bus. Speaking from personal experience, prior to the pandemic I had several instances where I felt uncomfortable on busses and I’ve had friends that have experienced harassment and even assault on busses with literally no response from the driver – they wouldn’t stop or even radio for assistance. That was before the pandemic. Now there is no way that I would willingly sit in a crowded, enclosed space sharing air with a bunch of people. That has nothing to do with being ‘elitist’ – nothing I have seen suggests this is any safer than airplane travel, which scientists have consistently said is risky at best – and I rather suspect it’s a lot worse because there is not going to be the same kind of disinfecting between rides or assigned seats to spread people out that exists on airlines. Buses are no sort of solution prior to a vaccine and honestly seem pretty dangerous to me, even if that fact is inconvenient.
- Jgreene1975 July 14, 2020 (9:15 am)
  
  My 2 cents: I’m not anti bus but during this current pandemic I’m not going near one. They can’t/aren’t enforcing masks, and even with the current passenger limitations at 12 to 18 people per bus it still doesn’t feel safe being in such close quarters with others. I have no idea how they expect to increase ridership and decrease car trips when things do start opening up more. My wife is high risk and used to take the bus daily. Unfortunately without a trusted/tested vaccine for Covid we won’t be going anywhere near public transit.

pilsner July 13, 2020 (6:34 pm)

That was prolly spent 2 months ago.

Mj July 13, 2020 (7:33 pm)

The $1.5 million spent on more beaucratic staff time is not needed. Using the $ to buy transit service when the economy opens up, spot intersection improvements makes way more sense. Adding significant more transit service throughout all of WS is the only viable option short of getting the existing bridge repaired quickly. This is not rocket science here!

bill July 13, 2020 (10:53 pm)

Why take the time for a rational, measured assessment of replacement options when we could just sketch a new bridge on a napkin and put Tim Eyeman or Goodspaceguy in charge of building it next week.
- Queenie July 14, 2020 (10:00 am)
  
  Funny, but your reply doesn’t reflect that time is of the essence here. Every restaurant, small business, apartment building, and property owner is going to be hurt by this every day the situation remains in limbo. We simply don’t have the time to approach this like the replacement of the viaduct.