UPDATE: West Seattle low bridge reopens after hours of being ‘stuck’

5:01 PM: There’s no formal traffic alert about it yet but the low bridge is closed for surface traffic – bicycle traffic in particular is backing up – and a texter says it’s been closed for more than 20 minutes. We’re checking with SDOT.

5:09 PM: Just got this reply, “There is an issue and maintenance in the way. Don’t know ETA on reopening and what the issue is. It is stuck.” It was already set to be shut down all next weekend (starting at 7 am Saturday, August 23) for work to repair a part that SDOT explains “controls how fast the bridge opens.”

5:19 PM: The live camera shows the bicyclists are going around the bridge gates. Not an option for the motor-vehicle drivers, who are turning around to leave the bridge.

6:40 PM: Not fixed yet and no ETA from SDOT yet.

9:40 PM: Open again. We’ll follow up tomorrow on the cause.

Carole August 20, 2025 (7:39 pm)

Call the Netherlands. They know bridges.

K August 20, 2025 (8:23 pm)

Bridge still broken at 8:10. No warning or signs other than the Blog.

Paul loeb August 20, 2025 (10:09 pm)

These things happen but it was frustrating being stuck without any communication. They need some kind of speaker or at least bullhorn so people know what’s going on and what to do. I waited about 20 minutes on my bike and then joined others who biked down to the first ave bridge to cross over

B August 21, 2025 (12:42 am)

Haha….I know a Dominos delivery driver who got stuck in this today! The Alki/Admiral Dominos serves Harbor Island workers and I hear it’s the worst delivery you can draw, because of this.

Jay August 22, 2025 (9:00 am)

This is literally the only concrete double leaf
cantilever bridge in the world, nobody else will build them because it’s
not a practical design due to the slow speed and so many points of failure. I wish Seattle wasn’t an experimental testing ground for new infrastructure and instead followed best-practices in civil engineering.

D September 4, 2025 (2:42 pm)

What is a “normal” speed for this bridge to close? Got stuck this morning, and it moves incredibly slow (especially the last few feet). Has it traditionally been as slow as it is lately? It’s so frustrating that such a key connection for biking to/from West Seattle isn’t more functional.

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