Major Seattle Street Will Close Until 2021 For Bridge Replacement

SEATTLE, WA — Seattle's last remaining wooden bridge will soon be gone. The Seattle Department of Transportation on Sept. 23 will close the Fairview Avenue bridge between Eastlake and South Lake Union for 18 months to replace the 65-year-old structure.

The bridge carries about 17,000 vehicles per day, but the wooden supports holding it above Lake Union are decaying and dangerous, SDOT says.

"The timber posts which hold up the western half of the bridge are decaying and the concrete girders which stabilize the street on the eastern half of the bridge are cracked. Rebuilding the bridge is essential for public safety," SDOT said in a blog post about the bridge.

During the closure, pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles will have to use Eastlake Avenue East to get between the busy downtown-area neighborhoods. There will also be a detour for local traffic along Aloha Street.

The new bridge will open in 2021, and will have more room for pedestrians and bicyclists. There will be sidewalks on both sides of the bridge, as opposed to just one side today. Two bicycle lanes will be moved onto the street, and a center turn lane will be eliminated. There will still be two northbound and one southbound lane for vehicles.

The $27 million project will be paid for out of the Move Seattle levy.