WEST SEATTLE LOW BRIDGE: Do access restrictions need an environmental-impact study?

(Low-bridge camera installation, December 2020 – SDOT photo)

Since the shutdown of the high-rise West Seattle Bridge on March 23, 2020, the city has restricted access to the low bridge (formally the Spokane Street Swing Bridge), saying that without restrictions, the low bridge would be jammed. At first, intermittent police presence was used to enforce the restrictions; now, cameras are up, photographing license plates for $75 citations to be sent to unauthorized drivers. Those cameras were activated two and a half weeks ago; SDOT says it has no stats yet on how many citations have been sent, but if you’re interested in the overall justification for restrictions, here’s a new document:

That 24-page document (also viewable here) is a “checklist” supporting a Determination of Non-Significance – a declaration that restricting access to the low bridge does not require a full environmental-impact study. It was linked from today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin. If you disagree and think the access restrictions should get a full environmental-impact study, you have until February 18th to appeal the determination – this notice explains how.

P.S. The low bridge will be a topic when SDOT reps appear at tonight’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting; our morning preview has the agenda and viewing/participation info.

CarDriver January 28, 2021 (12:35 pm)

I still can’t figure out what “essential freight” really is. Watched SPD in action many times while waiting at the light. It seemed to me that SPD had a VERY liberal view of what that was. I’m betting that there’s many people getting a shock when they get a ticket from SDOT. Doubt anybody can contest.

Mj January 28, 2021 (12:38 pm)

Maybe a full Environmental Review is in order? WS residents through no fault of there own are not being allowed, I get the reasoning, to use a street facility they paid for via taxes.

It is feasible to repair the WSB by Fall of this year. SDoT had a very capable contractor stablelizing the bridge that could have continued work on repairing the bridge right now.

I believe that the low level bridge restrictions needs to be lifted this Fall to force the City to get the bridge repair done! In the interim motorcycle access should be allowed.

jb January 28, 2021 (1:57 pm)

The lower bridge should be open to all traffic on the weekends. There is little or NO container, large freight traffic then, but WS residents are dictated by SDOT. They were going to monitor traffic going to the 1st ave bridge, but the backups along W Marginal way are getting worse any time during the day, as more people return to work! So much for SDOT, ALL talk and no action to solve the traffic nightmare!

R January 28, 2021 (4:51 pm)

I absolutely agree the low bridge should be more available, and I have a lot of negative thoughts and comments regarding sdot and it’s director I’d like to state. I will keep my post civil and post-able. Every bit of this has been handled badly. It would be understandable that a few things did not get done properly, this is of course a complex problem. However absolutely every bit of this has been handled badly. Unacceptable. We pay a ton in various taxes and deserve, and pay for, a much higher level of competence.

Blbl January 28, 2021 (2:15 pm)

Of course it needs a full EIS. It forces traffic to residential streets and streets along the water, significantly increasing pollution in more sensitive areas.

bill January 28, 2021 (3:38 pm)

Give it rest, MJ. SDOT has stated repeatedly they want to observe the bridge’s response to winter temperatures. The stabilization work has made the bridge a new animal. Before we spend hundreds of millions of dollars repairing it the engineers need to make sure it is behaving as expected.

WS Bridge NOW January 28, 2021 (7:15 pm)

The bridge repair to date has cost $22m further reinforcement is not expected to cost much more. $100’s of millions is being splashed around on mitigation and pet projects of SDOT. The bridge is effectively repaired. The reinforcements are largely elective. If they wanted the bridge done it could have long been open. The whole idea that they need to monitor concrete for how it behaves is just further proof they’re not really qualified for the job, how concrete performs in cold weather is not a mystery. And let’s be clear, they’re (SDOT) is no hurry, they didn’t get what they wanted from the mayor and now we have the people that orchestrated a highly biased cost benefit analysis, managing the project they didn’t want. There is lots of bad faith. Shocking amounts of bad faith.
- bill January 29, 2021 (11:55 pm)
  
  @WS BRIDGE NOW: “how concrete performs … is not a mystery” Ok, then why did the bridge fail?

Mj January 28, 2021 (5:26 pm)

bill – the repair price tag was identified at about $50,000,000. The delay has more to do with the City looking for someone else to pay for it’s negligence in properly maintaining the bridge in the first place. The City keeps finding money for other purposes, it’s time that the WSB and WS residents be made the top priority!

Bob Lang January 28, 2021 (6:25 pm)

Waste some more money with an EIS. It is the Seattle way.

WSB January 28, 2021 (6:39 pm)

Actually, the point of this is that they’re NOT seeking to pursue an EIS. But they still had to do a “checklist,” and had to advise anyone who disagrees that they can file an appeal.

Mj January 28, 2021 (10:09 pm)

WS Bridge Now – thank you. The WSB could be repaired and open for traffic by this Fall if it wasn’t for political BS. The only thing slowing things is that the City wants someone else to pay. I say the City needs to find the money and repair it now. By limiting the restrictions on the low level bridge to this Fall would hopefully provide the needed impetus to get the repair underway yesterday.

AA January 28, 2021 (11:00 pm)

The documentation to appeal the DNS states that the proposal (restricted access, $75 fines) will not begin for 14 days after Jan 28. Perhaps that is why sdot has been less than forthcoming with the “number of tickets issued” questions.Also, the no impacts to air is laughable given the detours many on the north end are forced to drive.

My two cents ... January 29, 2021 (3:44 pm)

Armchair engineers and tin foil hats … it’s easy to say this and that, but where is your technical analysis and references? Yes, we would all like more use of the low bridge, but again what are the references and data for weekend travel. And would not weekend low bridge access drive more vehicles than pre-bridge since everyone will think it’s a quicker way out?

Sorry, comment time is over.