(WSB photo, March 2020),

Many news outlets have been looking back at the pandemic-related closures, five years later. If you were here in 2020, you know another shutdown compounded the shock for West Seattleites: On March 23, 2020, the city announced the West Seattle Bridge had to be shut down for safety reasons, and hours after the announcement, it was. (Here’s our as-it-happened coverage of the announcement.) No one knew that day how long the closure would last; the bridge didn’t reopen until two and a half long years later, on September 17, 2022. Those years went by with drivers clogging detour routes, particularly through Highland Park on the way to the 1st Avenue South Bridge (and if not for people working and studying at home, it would have been worse). To mark today’s shutdown anniversary, we asked SDOT this past week about the bridge’s status and condition. Here are the results of our email Q&A:

WSB: When was its most recent inspection and how did it do?

SDOT: The most recent inspection was completed in January 2024. The findings from this inspection report did not identify any changes from the previous inspection. With these positive findings we moved the frequency of bridge inspections back to a 24-month routine inspection cycle consistent with Federal guidelines for routine bridge inspections. Data from the monitoring system that was installed on the bridge will continue to be reviewed and compared with past data to see if there are any changes.

WSB: Has anything changed?

SDOT: Nothing has been observed that would trigger any follow up evaluation.

WSB: Any new cracks or other situations you’re watching?

SDOT: There are no new cracks identified. Existing cracks that were previously noted show no signs of progression.

WSB: What’s the status of the planning for the replacement someday? Is that just on the shelf or does it get taken out for an update meeting now and then so it’s always standing by?

SDOT: Based on inspections and data from the monitoring system since the repairs were completed, the bridge is performing as expected and is anticipated to continue doing so for the foreseeable future. We will continue to inspect and monitor the bridge and perform any necessary maintenance work to keep the bridge operational. The pre-planning replacement work that was completed during the design phase for the repairs is filed and remains readily available as foundational reference material if future corridor needs arise, including addressing functional obsolescence or determining if replacement is necessary.

March 23, 2020, was also the day that – two and a half hours after the West Seattle Bridge shutdown announcement – then-Gov. Inslee announced his stay-home order. (If you want to see the entirety of what we covered that day – dominated by pandemic-related info – you can scroll through this one-day archive.)