Seattle plans to replace the Fairview Bridge
Dec 4, 2015, 5:25 PM | Updated: 5:49 pm
The proposed design for the new bridge removes the current buffer and places the oncoming lanes closer together. (SDOT)
(SDOT)
Fairview Ave N Bridge Replacement Moves Ahead with Move Seattle Levy Funds:
— seattledot (@seattledot)
The city of Seattle is ready to replace the Fairview Bridge built more than 65 years ago.
According to the crew at the Seattle Department of Transportation, “the timber is structurally deficient and seismically vulnerable.”
Whoa, whoa — seismically vulnerable? Maybe it’s a timeline coincidence but two small earthquakes recently registered underneath downtown Seattle.
Check the Northwest Earthquake Tracker
The Fairview Avenue Bridge is on the southeast shore of Lake Union near the 1200 block of Fairview Avenue North in Seattle. The bridge is next to the historic Lake Union Steam Plant building. The building was built in 1914 and currently houses the medical company ZymoGenetics. You’ve probably passed it on I-5, they often decorate the rooftop stacks with “12th man flags” or Christmas lights.
Construction for a new Fairview Bridge is slated for Spring of 2017.
The main difference? The proposed design for the new bridge removes the current buffer and places the oncoming lanes closer together. But that’s not all. The bridge will also boast wider sidewalks, lookout points, and a two-way bike lane.
