FOLLOWUP: Why ‘March 6’ for 1st Avenue South Bridge update?

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

(Reader-contributed file photo)

Since Wednesday night, we’ve been reporting on WSDOT‘s closure of two northbound lanes on the 1st Avenue South Bridge after inspectors found problems that need to be repaired. Thursday’s followup included a WSDOT promise of an update March 6. The question: Why not until then, and would the lanes remain closed until then? Here’s how spokesperson RB McKeon responded:

Our bridge engineers and inspectors need some time to analyze what they found in the field, develop recommendations, scope, timeline, source materials, etc… We believe that two weeks is a reasonable timeframe for us to be able to do that work and then come back to the public with additional information. To be clear, March 6 is the date we have indicated that we will come back to the public to share updates. We have not indicated that the lanes will reopen on March 6. As noted in yesterday’s updates, it is too early to outline a repair plan or timeline, but crews are actively working to determine next steps and will share updates by March 6. The lane closures are in place until bridge inspectors have determined the lanes are safe to reopen.

The bridge is two separate structures; the northbound side was built in 1956, 40 years before the southbound side. It served as a major detour route to get across the Duwamish River while the West Seattle Bridge was closed for two and a half years 2020-2022.

Workdowntown February 20, 2026 (8:38 pm)

Man, can you imagine if this happened a few years ago when the WS bridge was closed? Phew.

Azimuth February 20, 2026 (10:22 pm)

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DOT only said March 6th. They didn’t specify the year!
- IDC9 February 22, 2026 (4:05 pm)
  
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  I’m pretty sure they mean March 6th of this year. They should be able to bring the traveling public an update on the state of the bridge by then. They honestly should be able to do an update much sooner than that, but they don’t seem to be interested in doing so at this point in time. I hope they’ll change their mind, and deliver an update to the public sooner.

Eric1 February 20, 2026 (9:43 pm)

Hopefully they take the time to fix the 1/2 baked patches that double as speed bumps in the decking while the lanes are closed. Don’t be like the WS bridge and fix the decking after you reopen the bridge and inconvenience people a second time.

CarDriver February 21, 2026 (5:21 am)

Wondering why the grating on only 2 lanes is bad. Would think that the entirety would be wearing at the same rate.

K February 21, 2026 (10:17 am)

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The lanes are not used equally. The right lanes get heavy, contant, stop-and-go traffic and most of the heavy trucks because that’s where everyone is merging. The left lane gets a fraction of the use of other lanes because it’s HOV. This particular bridge is always very unevenly loaded.

jw February 21, 2026 (8:40 am)

When the southbound site was completed, they should off replaced the northbound grate with concrete. They gave so many excuses back then not to do it. The northbound lane was a two way bridge and during rush hours prior to 6am and 3pm they would put cones outs to make a extra lane. Hope they can come with a plan that is permeant.