LOW BRIDGE: Expanded-access update; plus – West Seattle Transportation Coalition briefing tonight

(From SDOT camera, 11:14 am today)

Two weeks after SDOT announced expanded access to the West Seattle low bridge (officially the Spokane Street Swing Bridge), two notes:

HOW THE ACCESS EXPANSION’S GOING: SDOT‘s Meghan Shepard, point person on low-bridge access, was a guest at last night’s Morgan Community Association meeting, She said that 27 people have already had applications approved to use the low bridge for access to life-saving medical treatments, one of the new access categories. You can find the application link here. That’s also where you’ll find the application link(s) next week for the other added access categories:

Shepard stressed that you are not authorized until you get email from SDOT saying so. (Our full report on last night’s MoCA meeting, with this and many other topics, is coming up later today.)

BRIEFING TONIGHT: SDOT is on the agenda to talk about the low bridge at tonight’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting, 6:30 pm online. All welcome.

Zoom Meeting ID 880 0834 8817
Passcode WSTC
On the web
Via phone: +12532158782,,88008348817#,,,,*477234#

The other major topic at tonight’s meeting will be the Terminal 5 project.

Derek April 22, 2021 (3:47 pm)

Are they going to provide a timetable on the repair???Anything official?

WSB April 22, 2021 (3:56 pm)

The timeline is not going to change until July, when the design hits the next phase, SDOT has said repeatedly.
- Jason April 23, 2021 (7:23 am)
  
  Still in design phase….is that crazy? It’s almost like we’re building a new bridge!
  - Michaele April 27, 2021 (4:08 pm)
    
    EXACTLY
  - Michaele April 27, 2021 (4:12 pm)
    
    We could have started repairing it and getting finished by the time the “designing” gets approved
- Michaele April 27, 2021 (4:07 pm)
  
  It’s been closed a year, we’re just now bidding and when will WSDOT, the State actually start doing something?
  - WSB April 27, 2021 (4:13 pm)
    
    The state? Never. This is a city bridge.

HarborIslandWorker April 22, 2021 (3:49 pm)

I would like to know why Megan Shepherd stated in the last Community Task Force meeting # 18 that the reason for not allowing harbor Island workers to have access is that it would “exceed capacity” then in a follow up email I received from Maureen Sheehan I was told that even with the low number of Harbor Island workers residing in West Seattle that access will not be granted for commute trips do they honestly believe that some of these user groups aren’t using their passes for commuting I’d like to see some user reports on some of these groups are these people traveling across the bridge the same time of the day etc.

Sasquatch April 22, 2021 (4:23 pm)

I have heard that nobody is getting tickets for using lower bridge, still.

WSB April 22, 2021 (5:13 pm)

“Still”? Since when? We reported sone weeks back that thousands of citations had been issued in just the first two weeks post-grace period. Overdue for a followup.
https://westseattleblog.com/2021/02/west-seattle-bridge-3-notes-high-low/
NativetoSeattle April 22, 2021 (8:44 pm)

I know people who thought they were cleared as cargo & has checked, but have now gotten multiple tickets in the mail.
stevemayeda.com April 23, 2021 (12:07 pm)

My brother’s friend got a ticket

LuLuBelle April 22, 2021 (5:39 pm)

Tickets ARE being mailed @ 2 weeks after the infraction. Anybody hearing they aren’t is the victim of someone’s “fake news” or “wishful thinking”

BS April 22, 2021 (6:16 pm)

Large pieces of concrete are crumbling off the east access to I5 on the West Seattle bridge, I will sue the city or County if my vehicle gets damages from the crumbling infrastructure that is not being maintained.

LuLuBelle April 22, 2021 (6:42 pm)

WSB. A good follow up question would be to ask what, if anything is done to make sure people actually pay for bridge(or other parking)infractions. And, if they don’t what are the penalties.

WSB April 22, 2021 (7:07 pm)

Don’t know why it would be any different than other traffic tickets. The Municipal Court has jurisdiction.

22blades April 23, 2021 (9:09 am)

I wish the permitted vehicles (other than obvious semi’s) had a very visible decal to discourage unpermitted use. The driving is getting worse in an aggressive way. Those “tricky” people who jump 3 lanes at the last minute for the low span are going to bend some metal. If you want to cheat, just don’t hurt anyone else. You’re going to get cited anyway,

reed April 23, 2021 (11:14 am)

It is truly astonishing that people requiring life saving medical treatment are being forced to compete with restaurant owners who “need” to make Costco or Cash n’ Carry runs 20 minutes faster to buy flour and coffee beans for making pizza and espresso. Does anyone else see the awfulness in this?

WSB April 23, 2021 (11:56 am)

There is no “competing” here. The numbers SDOT has used are estimates, not limits.
- reed April 23, 2021 (1:58 pm)
  
  Ok then let me rephrase a bit differently. It is truly astonishing that people requiring life saving medical treatment are only now being allowed access to the low bridge, while restaurant owners who “need” to make Costco or Cash n’ Carry runs 20 minutes faster to buy flour and coffee beans for making pizza and espresso have been able to do so for months.

Sorry, comment time is over.