ANNIVERSARY: How’s the West Seattle Bridge doing, exactly six years after sudden shutdown?

(WSB photo, March 2020),

March 23 is a day not to be forgotten by West Seattleites – the day in 2020 that we suddenly lost access to the high bridge, not to be reopened for two and a half years. When it closed with only hours’ notice because of concerns over cracks that SDOT said had been developing for years, city leaders had no idea how long it would stay closed, nor even – initially – what it would take to enable reopening. Ultimately, reinforcement work was done to address concerns that the bridge might even fall apart; then-Mayor Jenny Durkan subsequently had to decide whether to pursue replacing or repairing the bridge, and ultimately settled on the latter, at a cost of $67 million.

(2022 WSB photo)

The bridge reopened on September 17, 2022, so it’s been open 3 1/2 years since that 2 1/2-year closure. As we have done in advance of past closure anniversaries, we checked in with SDOT. First, here’s their general confirmation of how the bridge is going, in response to our inquiry:

The West Seattle Bridge remains safe and strong. We are still performing regular inspections of the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge and continuously observe the bridge remotely with an intelligent monitoring system of sensors installed at key locations which detect different kinds of movement.

(2021 photo from then-advisory committee member Anne Higuera)

Neither the in-person inspections or the remote sensors have identified any unexpected issues or cause for concern.

You might recall that preliminary work was done toward a potential replacement, for a jump-start in case the mayor had decided to go that way. We asked if that’s been revisited lately.

The West Seattle Bridge Replacement Study provided valuable insight into the complexity of potentially replacing the structure. It was important to create this contingency plan to make sure we were prepared to pivot quickly if the repair effort had not gone according to plan, which we were fortunate did not occur. We have no immediate plans to update this study because the bridge is now in stable condition and all evidence indicates that the repaired bridge will stand strong for decades to come.

Specifically, it remains projected that the high bridge will last at least until 2060. Meantime, the low bridge has had sporadic trouble, even after maintenance and upgrades in the past few years, and we have an inquiry out to SDOT regarding what’s ahead for that bridge.

Seth March 23, 2026 (2:43 pm)

Would be nice to have light rail for when the bridge is out again. Just sayin

Chuck Jacobs March 23, 2026 (2:49 pm)

The last time I drove across the high bridge before they closed it was also my last day at work before they shut down for a month because of Covid 19.

WSB March 23, 2026 (3:17 pm)

Yes, I mentioned it in last year’s story but mostly because all the regional media were focusing on “five years since” re: COVID that day. I noted in our anniversary story last year that it was only a few hours later that the first shutdown was ordered – TR
- Jethro Marx March 23, 2026 (4:42 pm)
  
  These are the coincidences that pass into conspiracy theory lore as too-perfect-to-be-accidents. But looking back, the closure would have had a bigger impact almost any other time. I remember taking pictures of the cracks from underneath about 15 years ago and thinking, “That looks like a lot of cracks but I guess that’s concrete, what?”

lucy March 23, 2026 (2:50 pm)

That was a LONG 2 1/2 years. As an “essential worker” I didn’t get to work from home at all. It was very frustrating. But, we made it!

Scarlett March 24, 2026 (7:12 am)

A lot of people didn’t get to work at all. This “essential worker” designation was often arbitrary designation and it ruined a lot of lives. We haven’t really recovered from the pandemic, its still rippling through society.
- IDC9 March 31, 2026 (6:23 pm)
  
  We can never truly recover from the pandemic so long as COVID-19 is still among us, causing more illness and death with each new varient that comes along. Its still out there. It hasn’t gone away. Its just not top of mind anymore.
  - bill March 31, 2026 (8:30 pm)
    
    Covid is very much still with us. I got knocked down by it a year ago February. Can’t definitively say all the other health problems that ruined 2025 for me flowed directly from covid, but it is a strong possibility. Don’t skip your booster, folks. Oh wait, are we still making vaccines in this country?
flimflam March 24, 2026 (7:27 am)

Same. I was cooking at the time and looking out into the restaurant and seeing people distanced, enter with mask, sit down and take mask off was so strange and frankly insulting. It was actually the catalyst for getting out of the industry.

Gregory Nickels March 23, 2026 (2:50 pm)

Phew!

Jake March 23, 2026 (2:54 pm)

One thing that is super apparent from that: we need other sources of transit besides bus and car and lightrail is desperately needed. Should be expedited using this as a primary reason. We were basically an island and economy and quality of life took a major hit. We need a way over the water that is for just cars/buses.

Curious George March 23, 2026 (3:38 pm)

Light rail is a very viable means of transportation but it too has to cross the water way either on an existing bridge or on its own witch requires maintenance something that our government does a very poor job of: reactive not pro-active.
HP March 23, 2026 (4:54 pm)

@Jake: I heard that the Head of FEMA was teleported to a waffle house. I also saw it happen on TV.

Lola March 23, 2026 (4:18 pm)

I remember during Covid our boss wrote us letters as to why we were on the road so we could get to work. Had it just in case they stopped you. Yes I learned all the back roads to get to work and to get home.

Bus rider March 23, 2026 (4:53 pm)

I remember that day well. That afternoon Gov. Inslee had a press conference announcing the Stay Home Stay Healthy order. The company that I worked for at the time was caught off-guard by the announcement and was unprepared for remote work. I still had to go into the office until I received the necessary equipment to work from home. Fortunately, I was able to commute by bus and use the low bridge. Downtown offices literally emptied overnight.

Eddie March 23, 2026 (5:29 pm)

So if the bridge is good until 2060 (a mere 34 years from now), what is the timetable for decisions and actions necessary to have a replacement designed, permitted, funded, constructed and operational to ensure no disruption in capability? Seriously, 34 years is tomorrow in these sort of projects. Are we behind schedule already?

bill March 23, 2026 (9:16 pm)

After the 99 viaduct was damaged by the Nisqually earthquake in 2001 it merely took 18 years to decide how to replace it and then do it. Expect the replacement high bridge to open in 2080 or thereabouts. Or maybe we won’t need it. Flying cars, after all, you know.
- Jeff Nobridges March 23, 2026 (10:23 pm)
  
  AI will fix everything and we’ll all have multiple robots working for us while we take monthly trips to the new frontiers in Muskland on Mars, all paid for by the Trump Foundation For New American Prosperity. Where we’re going, we don’t need bridges.
Charles Burlingame March 24, 2026 (7:22 am)

Wait until you find out about I-5 through downtown.

Dm March 23, 2026 (8:21 pm)

I was so thankful when out Highland Park neighborhood (Holden) stopped being a reroute/freeway after the bridge reopened!

Allie March 24, 2026 (11:30 am)

I bet! My bus wasn’t running during the pandemic, so I drove that way to get to the office twice a week and I always felt so bad for everyone who lived on Holden during that mess.

dRM March 24, 2026 (8:13 am)

Great… I’ll be close to 110 in 2060, so probably no longer driving!!!! :-)

Jake March 24, 2026 (9:54 am)

If anyone thinks this will last to 2060, I will sell you some beachfront property too.

Lisa March 24, 2026 (10:36 am)

It was a nightmare for an essential healthcare workers. West Marginal Way was rage street. The lower bridge should have been open for us. Getting to Costco was a nightmare. Was deliriously overjoyed when it re-opened.

IDC9 March 31, 2026 (6:27 pm)

Healthcare workers should have had access to the lower bridge. They were just as essential as police, fire, and utilities during that time. And they still are! Thank you healthcare workers for everything you do!

Sorry, comment time is over.