Do you know how you’ll celebrate when the West Seattle bridge reopens?
If not, you’re running out of time to make a plan. The residents of the accidental island of West Seattle are certainly ready to commemorate the reopening of their bridge. This past week, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) conducted one final safety test before confirming that the West Seattle bridge is ready to reopen. Starting Sunday, September 18 Seattleites will once again be able to easily commute between West Seattle and the rest of the city thanks to the restoration of the main bridge.
Read on for the essential details.
SDOT conducted the last safety test on the West Seattle Bridge this past Tuesday. The “live loading test” consisted of driving about a dozen trucks across the bridge to test its weight-bearing strength. Each truck weighed up to 80,000 pounds.
A couple of days later the final results were in. The West Seattle Bridge passed this final test and is ready to reopen to the public. Now the bridge should last for another 40 years of use.
You can read more about the cause of the West Seattle Bridge closure, as well as the repairs that went into its restoration, in this article.
West Seattleites in particular are excited for the bridge to reopen, since they’ve spent the past two years dealing with an extended and congested commute into the city. If you’d like to celebrate the bridge reopening, you can drive over the restored bridge anytime next week and follow our guide to all the fun things to do in West Seattle. You can also take part in one of the many celebrations and promotions being offered by West Seattle businesses.
One last note to keep in mind, however: the city is not announcing an exact time on Sunday for when the West Seattle Bridge reopens. This is to avoid over-congestion on the bridge due to people excited to use it as soon as it’s open, although it’s sure to get busy fast regardless. You may want to wait at least one more day before you embark across the West Seattle Bridge.