FOLLOWUP: Here’s the plan for yearlong Delridge Pedestrian Bridge project

| Delridge | Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, Tuesday)

As we’ve been noting in our weekday-morning traffic notes, the project to reinforce the Delridge Pedestrian Bridge is officially under way. SDOT says it’s expected to last about a year, during which time the Delridge/Oregon intersection will be narrowed. Here’s the official fact sheet for the project, and today we also have more information about the phases of work:

To complete the work as safely and efficiently as possible, the bridge will be closed to people walking, biking, and rolling during construction. In addition, we will be closing sidewalks and car lanes under the bridge on Delridge Way SW in three phases to divert people walking, rolling, biking, and driving away from where work is occurring. At least one lane of travel in each direction and a sidewalk on one side of the street will be maintained throughout each phase.

We understand these closures will impact everyone who uses the bridge and Delridge Way SW regularly and we will do what we can to minimize impacts. The three phases will include the following closures:

Phase One
Our first phase of sidewalk and lane closures is currently in progress. Delridge Way SW will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with car traffic shifted to the east. Between SW Genesee St and SW Oregon St, the sidewalk on the west side of Delridge Way SW will also be closed while crews work on the west side of the bridge. We will share a map showing the sidewalk and lane closure soon.

Phase Two
During the second phase of sidewalks and lane closures, Delridge Way SW will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with car traffic shifted to the west. Between SW Genesee St and SW Oregon St, the sidewalk on the east side of Delridge Way SW will also be closed while crews work on the east side of the bridge. We will share a map showing the sidewalk and lane closure in phase two as we approach the end of phase one.

Phase Three
Our final phase of sidewalk and lane closures will reduce Delridge Way SW to one lane in both directions. The innermost lanes will be closed and traffic will be shifted to the outermost lanes while crews work underneath the middle of the bridge. The sidewalks on both sides of Delridge Way SW will remain open to people walking and rolling during this phase. We will share a map showing the lane closures in phase three as we approach the end of phase two.

Though the project page doesn’t cite a number, the city previously has listed the project budget as $5 million; the successful “base bid” by Ferndale-headquartered contractor IMCO Construction is shown online as $2.3 million. At one point the city contemplated demolishing the bridge rather than upgrading it, but community feedback led to the city scrapping that idea.

SIDE NOTE: An earthquake-safety project is ahead for the Admiral Way bridges over Fairmount Ravine, too. The city is in the process of finalizing the contract for the north bridge, so we should have a timeline soon.

26er April 25, 2024 (3:18 pm)

I hope to God that the city figures out how to handle traffic responsibly here during construction. One year of phases! Traffic is a nightmare during school hours/rush hour with there only being 2 lanes. Buses are late because of this. Fire dept & police travel is delayed because of the cars being backed up and no where to go. All traffic that doesn’t want to sit and wait moves over to 26th Ave and speeds down a residential street at speeds higher than they should putting kids and neighbors at risk. All for a bridge that RARELY gets used. Don’t even get me started on my opinion of the unnecessary left turn signal to go up that hill.

DRW April 25, 2024 (4:12 pm)

Don’t forget Garbage Day!
Rusty April 25, 2024 (11:17 pm)

I live on that street and have a newborn, use that bridge almost everyday to avoid crossing Delridge with a stroller. Jerks use the Bus Only lane and blow through that red light going 65 daily. At first I hated this construction and it certainly is annoying for cars, but for pedestrians it’s made that part of the street a whole lot safer by proxy.
- Kyle April 27, 2024 (9:45 am)
  
  I’ve got two young kids and we like to walk places too. Still, spending over 2 million dollars and causing traffic backups for over a year seems like silly SDOT logic when an at grade crossing with a light would solve the same problem for cheaper and waaay less hassle.
User of the left turn arrow May 2, 2024 (8:48 am)

As someone who uses that left turn multiple times a day that left turn signal is very necessary. There are times of day when its not needed but absolutely needed during peek times.
- Puget Ridger May 11, 2024 (10:44 am)
  
  They could keep the green arrow at peak times and still have it blink amber to yield to oncoming traffic: exactly how it was for years and years. Now it just backs up southbound traffic for cars waiting to turn left with no oncoming traffic. It’s one of the dumbest changes ever.
- Puget Ridger May 11, 2024 (10:51 am)
  
  The left arrow is occasionally beneficial during rush hour. But we could keep the green arrow and ALSO return to the days of the blinking amber arrow to yield to oncoming northbound traffic: like it functioned for years and years. That would also remove the backup caused by the way-too-long center median that doesn’t have enough room for left-turning vehicles (even before the construction began). One of the worst traffic signal updates ever.

Fan of Kelp Forests April 25, 2024 (4:05 pm)

I bet it could be wrapped up a bit sooner.

KT April 25, 2024 (4:08 pm)

Hopefully SDOT can update their project page for the Admiral Way bridges because it sure didn’t start ion 2023 and I’m betting won’t be finished in 2024 as they claim. Typical SDOT.

Derek April 25, 2024 (4:26 pm)

Traffic woes are why we desperately need light rail over here fast

Pinto April 25, 2024 (4:35 pm)

Just drove that way to get to track meet at SWAC. It was backed up more than one block. This was at 3 o’clock. Recommend taking 35th if you can

sam-c April 26, 2024 (8:21 am)

Yes, on a few occasions, including back on April 10, the southbound backup at 4:30pm went all the way back to Skylark (roughly 4 blocks).

27er April 25, 2024 (5:36 pm)

look at it this way, half as long as West Seattle Bridge. 12 months of a construction project to support pedestrian movement today – and in the years ahead does seem excessive, I mean it’s not like it was falling down or anything. I won’t get you started on left turn signal if you don’t tread on my free right turn rights.

26er April 25, 2024 (8:57 pm)

@27er – Agreed :)

Ross April 25, 2024 (9:10 pm)

This is an absolute waste of funds and an unnecessary burden on traffic.

Brian April 26, 2024 (3:19 am)

Cool project. I love pedestrian improvement initiatives like this! Sorry your cars have to go slow sometimes drivers, but thems the brakes.

Steve April 26, 2024 (3:53 am)

Or….. Now hear me out…CROSSWALK! Wow, that was easy.

Sonya April 26, 2024 (4:18 am)

We got stuck here a week or so ago because it seems the lights weren’t reconfigured to recognize the new lanes. The second lane going north is now where southward traffic goes so the sensors never see that there are cars waiting, leaving dozens of cars waiting in one lane at a red light. If this is to go on for a year, the city should at the very least reprogram the lights to let traffic through when everyone is now waiting in one lane.

sam-c April 26, 2024 (8:28 am)

That could be possible, or the lights were reconfigured to give SB directional travel a longer green light, so that it includes a left turn green arrow to go up the hill. They have to give SB a longer green/ left turn green arrow, since the left turners and straight traffic (cars and buses) are combined in only one lane now. When the intersection was reconfigured when the median were put in, that left turn lane became a left turn on green only (with no yellow blinking left turn arrow, like it used to be). So, that probably factors in too, since there’s no option to turn left on a yellow blinking arrow.

Catherine April 26, 2024 (6:45 am)

ONE YEAR?! WTF. that seems excessive. The lane closures has been an absolute nightmare for traffic.

sam-c April 26, 2024 (1:11 pm)

No work happening today. Not sure why. It would be helpful if they made use of all the work days, at least.

Alki resident April 26, 2024 (7:28 am)

It’s unreal what our money gets wasted on. This will cause a major impact on traffic, and on Wednesdays it’s garbage day over there so even worse conditions.

Jeepney April 26, 2024 (10:10 am)

The side streets, particularly 26th, will see a big increase in traffic.

Also on 26th April 26, 2024 (11:02 am)

If you use 26th to get around this traffic mess please be mindful of all the people who live here and use the park facilities (soccer field, playground, skate park). Lots of kids, pets and wildlife to watch out for including mine. I get the frustration with the backup on Delridge. Trust me. But not worth hurting someone to get somewhere a few mins faster.

PDiddy April 26, 2024 (12:58 pm)

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this. First the way they are blocking and routing traffic is ridiculous and dumb. Two no one uses that overpass unless they are protesting something and there is a crosswalk. Makes me wonder if this is money well spent. I do like the overpass but I think a crosswalk is just fine. Last why is it taking a year for a small pedestrian overpass? I live right by this so it is a massive nuisance.

Frog April 27, 2024 (10:21 am)

This is indeed a bizarre huge expense for what the city gets out of it. Seems like they could just remove the current bridge, build new supports at both ends and in the middle, and have a pre-fab earthquake-proof new bridge built off-site and brought in, with lower cost and disruption. As for why it exists at all, I suspect it’s really more of a sign-waving platform, not a pedestrian utility.
- sam-c April 29, 2024 (12:10 pm)
  
  As a pedestrian, I used to use the bridge quite a bit, to cross Delridge. But, once the upgrade project was completed, (upgrades for Rapid Ride, medians installed, etc), the traffic control light timing has really been improved for pedestrians and it doesn’t take forever to get a walk signal at some of the main, nearby intersections, including Genesee and Andover. The lights previously prioritized getting cars north and south down Delridge as fast as possible. (also wish every direction had ‘no right on red’ as that’s when I’ve had the most close calls).
WestSeattleBadTakes April 29, 2024 (6:18 am)

No expense spared for car infrastructure, which is what this is, car infrastructure.

Kyle April 27, 2024 (9:34 am)

A year? This is a terrible traffic mitigation plan that they gave little thought too. A left turn lane is needed there as it’s a common split for drivers entering West Seattle and going up the hill. How SDOT did not account for this for such a long closure is beyond me.

Flora May 2, 2024 (9:37 am)

Too bad they spent millions to put in the center lane dividers; we used to be able to go around the bus at stops and delivery vans used to have a place to pull over. Delridge has become a nightmare to drive down. This has just pushed more traffic up to Avalon. A year is such a joke. This could be done in a month.

Sorry, comment time is over.