When WSDOT announced Monday that it would close the northbound 1st Avenue South Bridge all weekend again, starting this Friday night, though one area bridge – the West Seattle low bridge – already had an all-weekend closure planned, we asked SDOT if the latter was still on. We had already asked what time the low-bridge closure would start, as the original announcement was just “May 16-17.” Here’s the statement we got this afternoon with answers to both questions:
The Spokane St Swing Bridge (also know as the West Seattle Low Bridge) will be closed to all vehicles starting at 7 a.m. Saturday, May 16 and reopen by the morning of Monday, May 18. People on bicycles and walking will still be able to use the bridge, although there may be more bridge openings than usual due to the maintenance work.
We have been working closely with WSDOT to coordinate around their planned construction on the First Ave S Bridge. The work on Spokane St Swing Bridge will continue as planned because it is not a detour route for the First Ave S Bridge and the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge has enough capacity to carry the increased traffic volumes of people affected by both closures.
SDOT says it’s closing the low bridge to drivers so it can “replace the tail lock cylinder, motor, and hydraulic pump.”