FOLLOWUP: Why fixing bridge barriers took so long Sunday night

That’s what SDOT crews had to fix when they closed the Fauntleroy end of the eastbound West Seattle Bridge for more than two hours Sunday night. We reported on it in real time and promised to follow up to find out why the barrier fix – usually a relatively quick job – took so long, and SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson sent this explanation with photos, today:

SDOT was notified by SPD at approximately 6:45 p.m. on Sunday, February 1 that a vehicle had hit the center concrete barrier on the Fauntleroy Way SW approach to the West Seattle Bridge. This collision moved the center concrete divider out of place.

An SDOT Response Team (SRT) vehicle attempted to push the barriers back into place, but two of the four concrete barrier sections became stuck and were unmovable. It was necessary to bring in heavy equipment from the SDOT maintenance yard, which finished pushing the barriers back into place at approximately 10:30 pm.

All eastbound lanes of Fauntleroy Way SW were closed for most of this time, with a short period when one lane was briefly reopened and then closed again.

The only crash on the SFD log for that time frame was 7 pm, listed as Fauntleroy/Avalon; one of the challenges for keeping stats on that end of the bridge – yes, it was by “the curve” – seems to be the various location descriptions.

CarDriver February 3, 2026 (12:33 pm)

SIGH…….abundantly clear SDOT does NOT want to fix the worn-out pavement in the curve. To do so would be an admission that they should have done it a long time ago.

TruckDriver February 3, 2026 (12:52 pm)

CarDriver, in the pouring rain early Sunday morning I took this curve at 30 MPH in my mid-90s rear wheel drive extended bed pickup without issue. Driver speed is the problem, not the road.
- GH February 3, 2026 (1:35 pm)
  
  There’s a large cadre here (and in society at large) that thinks that streets design should be shaped by the dangerous and illegal choices they make.
- Also John February 3, 2026 (8:25 pm)
  
  TruckDriver…. Exactly right. I have a 90’s rear drive pickup truck and I take that turn at 30mph also. Why do I do this? Because the posted speed limit is 30 mph. No need to fix the curve to please those that feel entitled to speed.
  - Another truck driver February 4, 2026 (1:08 am)
    
    Also a truck driver and I highly advocate for the city to just fix the dang curb. It would take minimal money and a single night and we will rarely have to see or read about another crash ever again. Literally any time it rains the barrier is smashed and crooked. People won’t change and I’m tired of the constant mess and damage. Again people won’t change. For everyone saying “I take the curb at the speed limit and I’m a’ok”. great. Good for you and self pat on the back. But other people won’t change. So just fix the road.
Derp February 3, 2026 (12:56 pm)

Drive the speed limit. If it was really a huge problem, don’t you think there would be wrecks all day long. But no, people, slow down
B February 3, 2026 (8:45 pm)

Repairs are now planned on a stretch of highway 99 in Lynnwood that has also been a problem section of road. It only took 62 fatal or serious accidents between 2019 and 2023 to make this happen. I know that this is not part of SDOT’s jurisdiction, but I think the mentality is about the same. They’re really not too concerned about us minions spinning around out there.

For those who are convinced that speed is the only factor in our Welcome to West Seattle curve spin-outs, why do you suppose these accidents only started happening after this section of roadway was ‘improved’ a few years ago?
- Hammer is Hand February 4, 2026 (4:55 pm)
  
  The Lynnwood project is WADOT not SDOTdifferent Dept different pot of money

K to the F February 3, 2026 (1:31 pm)

Interesting because when I left W. Sea. that way on Sunday afternoon the barrier was already jutting out into the eastbound traffic lanes. So what accident caused the barrier to be pushed so far out of whack?

seconded February 3, 2026 (3:28 pm)

I’ll second this, the barrier was already well out of place and jutting into the eastbound lane from what is likely another unreported crash earlier in the day. The jut in the photo is worse than the midday jut, so there were likely two crashes. Who has a solo powered security camera they want to volunteer since SDOT’s camera on that location has been broken for 100 years?

Eric1 February 3, 2026 (2:42 pm)

I don’t defend speeding but the city must acknowledge that you often have increased costs when catering to the lowest common denominator. Before people get too angry about the cost to accommodate stupid drivers, remember that when you use a public restroom. Why is there only a single faucet with only cold water? Why are the toilets cold on your a$$ armored stainless steel? Why are they not economical porcelain fixtures with Charmin Ultra Soft paper on an easy access roller? The ultra expensive prison quality unbreakable toilets, wood bark toilet paper and reinforced concrete walls are the norm because stupid people will break things (walls, stalls, fixtures) and steal any toilet paper of marginal quality. Personally, I never use nasty public facilities because I am a princess and would rather not have any facilities to save the city money. But, you need facilities, and they need to be built to withstand a certain crowd. Suddenly a bathroom remodel on Alki Beach in 2021 costs $638,000 for 3 stalls with extensive delays. While a fix to the road will certainly be more expensive, more people actually use the bridge than the public restrooms.

Wendell February 3, 2026 (7:53 pm)

I have so many chucklesome comments about this, I don’t know where to begin. I’m just glad I won’t bump into you in a public toilet, or on the Walking on Logs curve.

MM February 3, 2026 (9:25 pm)

I’m surprised there are still accidents on this spot, I thought they would all be prevented following the new signage that was put up a few weeks ago highlighting the curve!!

wetone February 4, 2026 (9:04 am)

What I would like to know is why these accidents have exponentially increased since bridge reopening and roadway surface work was completed on this section of roadway ? Vehicles were being driven at same speeds prior to rework as is post………;)

Sorry, comment time is over.