FOLLOWUP: Eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct resurfacing on track for next year

| Transportation | West Seattle news

That was the traffic-camera view – with an arrow drawn by SDOT – when a crew was out Wednesday morning during peak commute time, doing emergency repairs on a pothole on the eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct. (That’s the bridge between 99 and I-5.) This reminded us of what we reported in May, when discussion of the huge hole in the state-owned ramp from the bridge to 99 put the spotlight back on the SSV’s condition. When SDOT got a $5 million grant last year for resurfacing eastbound SSV, there was a vague timeline of “the next few years”; then in May, they said it would likely move up to 2024. This week, SDOT spokesperson Mariam Ali confirmed that: “It is currently in design and expected to go to construction next year. The project is to remove the existing deteriorating concrete overlay along the eastbound lanes just east of SR 99 overpass to around 6th Ave S and placement of a new overlay.” The eastern side of the SSV is the older side, dating back to the ’40s, while the western side was built a little over a decade ago. It was closed several times for repair work during the 2 1/2-year-long full closure of the West Seattle Bridge west of 99.

Mr J August 4, 2023 (5:46 pm)

Wow. A bit disappointed in this response. The road is dangerous with baseball – golf ball sized chunks of concrete sometimes all over the road and piling up on the shoulder. The LEAST they could do is clean that up and keep it from being more of a safety hazard.

KT August 4, 2023 (8:02 pm)

It is a disgrace this wasn’t taken care of during the two-and-a-half years the bridge was shuttered. If they did repair work during that closure it sure as hell was not noticeable when the bridge reopened. Just wait until the rains return. This is gonna be ugly once again for WS residents – “remove the existing deteriorating concrete overlay along the eastbound lanes just east of SR 99 overpass to around 6th Ave S and placement of a new overlay”.

James August 5, 2023 (8:19 am)

When there was a backlog of other projects from Covid going on and a concrete strike? I swear people think everything is supposed to happen when it’s convenient for them.

Paul August 5, 2023 (8:47 am)

Wasn’t this redone about 15 years ago when they did a big resurface job? If so shouldn’t it have lasted longer?

WSlongtimer August 5, 2023 (9:58 am)

YES‼️ it is completely outrageous. The lack of foresight used by SDOT! They have to make this repair… and ONCE AGAIN completely destroy Traffic through their negligence ! I sure wish we voted for who heads SDOT : outrageous lack of planning. And also keep in mind that they were advised of the cracks in the West Seattle bridge, and did nothing to prevent it being totally shut down for years….How do these people get their jobs?

Incidentally August 5, 2023 (10:03 am)

How can a bridge be closed for repairs during its complete closure? That makes no sense.! I have a clear view of the West Seattle bridge and I don’t recall any time that they were making repairs on the surface of the bridge. Ithe surface of the bridge just sat there inactive and abandoned for 2.5 YEARs while 100,000 people per day struggled with this stupid result of ignoring warnings about multiple cracks … What’s the matter with these people?

WSB August 5, 2023 (11:43 am)

The Spokane Street Viaduct was not closed during the 2 1/2-year West Seattle Bridge closure, except for the few repair occasions to which we allude. It remained open and accessible from/to 99 eastward.

John August 5, 2023 (10:32 am)

I hope SDOT employs some competent structural engineers to redo the failed concrete overlay. The significant failure of the existing overlay in such a short timeframe speaks volumes about the incompetency of the staff that was responsible for the widening work on the viaduct. They should take into account the age of the underlying structure, the gross weight of the trucks hauling containers and other heavy materials. I also hope SDOT will be more proactive in maintaining elevated structures like this around the city.

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