284:
40:
368:
397:
replacement funds), there is nothing else. And you certainly wouldn't want to go that route." In March 1978, several prominent West
Seattle residents filed a petition to organize a secession referendum, with the hopes of finding state funding for a new bridge to serve their independent city. The secession campaign was required to gather 29,000 signatures for a ballot measure, but were unable to meet the threshold before the northern or westbound drawbridge was permanently closed and all east-west traffic was funneled over the southern span.
412:
434:. No one was hurt in the collision, but it resulted in irreparable damage with the bridge's spans stuck open; the bridge was permanently closed as a result. A US Coast Guard inquiry found the ship's pilot, Rolf Neslund, and master, Gojko Gospodnetic, were negligent; Gospodnetic was fired and Neslund forced into retirement. Neslund later disappeared in 1980. Although he was never found, his wife was convicted of his murder.
465:. The high span bridge was completed in 1984, though demolition of the 1924 bridge continued until January 1986. Meanwhile, the 1930 bridge continued to carry traffic (around 12,000 vehicles per day) until it was closed on May 23, 1989, and subsequently demolished to make way for construction of the similarly-named
810:
792:
773:
396:
After the scandal, the project was considered dead. Norbert
Tiemann, a federal highway regulator, stated that there would essentially be no chance of the project receiving federal funds for completion. Tiemann also quipped, "Short of a tug knocking it down (which could trigger federal special bridge
388:, three companies eventually bid to design the bridge for $ 1.5 million. However, the city engineer chose a fourth company that was financially connected to the speaker of the state house. The price from this fourth company was triple the cost of the other three. This was a result of a series of
452:
The high span West
Seattle Bridge project qualified for funds from the federal Office of Special Bridge Replacement as a result of the 1978 collision. However, with many other damaged bridges to replace, this program alone did not have sufficient funding. While federal lawmakers were opposed to
375:
By the 1970s, the West
Spokane Street Bridge was one of Seattle's worst bottlenecks, due to the large number of ships in Duwamish Waterway and the frequent bridge openings. City leaders began planning a higher bridge, without a drawbridge, in the 1960s. Planning for the bridge was hampered by
392:
involving the head of the House
Transportation Committee, the city engineer and others. Despite the 68 percent support in the 1968 ballot measure, the state withdrew its urban streets money due to the scandal. In 1976 and 1977, the conspirators were placed on trial and imprisoned.
303:. "Spokane Street" has long been used as designation for the streets running along the latitude of the current West Seattle Bridge. Before any permanent bridge was built along the line of Spokane Street, there had been three temporary bridges, built
380:
ballot measure included $ 16.7 million in funding for the bridge, largely to receive votes from West
Seattle residents. Other funding sources included a state program for funding urban streets and money from a maintenance fund.
247:
neighborhoods over the river. The original bridge opened to traffic in 1924; a second bridge carrying eastbound traffic was opened in 1930, with the 1924 bridge reconfigured to carry westbound traffic.
255:
rammed into the 1924 bridge; the 1930 bridge was subsequently reconfigured to handle two-way traffic as a result. The 1930 bridge was replaced in official capacity by the higher-level
335:
was constructed in 1924, which lasted for several decades; a second, parallel bridge was constructed south of the first in 1930. In 1945, one of
Seattle's oldest freeways (the
561:
477:
handled both projects. Before the West
Seattle Bridge opened, many of the neighborhoods in West Seattle had low property values because of the difficulty in getting
1246:
1236:
1241:
1206:
283:
1221:
873:
1216:
484:
The West
Seattle Bridge was closed in March 2020 after cracks in the underside were found to be growing rapidly, necessitating a major repair amid the
485:
648:
945:
406:
1226:
755:
1211:
1167:
1105:
461:, who served on the council from 1970 to 1989, lobbied Congress for the bridge and successfully secured funds with help from Senator
263:
the West
Seattle Bridge) in 1984. The 1930 span of the bridge was closed in 1989 and subsequently demolished to make way for a lower
831:
602:
256:
61:
866:
737:
367:
1136:
983:
973:
952:
39:
133:
998:
1231:
1131:
54:
1201:
1028:
859:
348:
899:
894:
846:
835:
344:
328:
that also carried a water main, and the third was a swing bridge after the water main had been rerouted elsewhere.
376:
difficulties in receiving funding. In large part, this is because the bridge was not a designated highway. A 1968
958:
505:
324:. The first one was basically a swinging gate in what had been primarily built as a water main; the second was a
963:
712:
693:
1151:
336:
296:
268:
1146:
1141:
1099:
1088:
1023:
1018:
466:
447:
272:
17:
454:
340:
287:
The first permanent bridge under construction in June 1924; the 1918 temporary bridge is on the right
619:
1033:
1003:
939:
923:
443:
411:
1115:
474:
236:
1093:
1061:
1056:
1013:
1008:
978:
934:
598:
555:
513:
458:
45:
541:
A map of Seattle in 1909, created by combining portions of the following public domain images
851:
478:
993:
988:
462:
385:
929:
431:
377:
360:
332:
292:
228:
224:
148:
104:
1195:
968:
240:
1109:
713:"Ruth Neslund murders her husband, Rolf Neslund, on Lopez Island on August 8, 1980"
595:
Public Works in Seattle: A Narrative History the Engineering Department, 1875–1975
470:
325:
300:
264:
244:
220:
673:
Suffia, David (May 10, 1978). "West Seattle secession drive progressing slowly".
575:
840:
424:
347:, the viaduct was separated from the bridge by the main north-south corridor,
252:
517:
76:
63:
538:
images, Derivative work by Joe Mabel, using public domain (August 1, 2009),
539:
419:, the ship that struck the 1924 bridge, as seen the day after the collision
597:(1st ed.). Seattle: Seattle Engineering Department. pp. 41–43.
883:
232:
114:
23:
Former twin bascule bridges in Seattle, Washington, U.S. (1924–1989)
649:"For West Seattle's bridge, if at first you don't succeed, secede!"
410:
389:
366:
282:
855:
694:"Freighter Chavez rams West Seattle Bridge on June 11, 1978"
756:"West Seattle Bridge renamed to honor Jeanette Williams"
738:"You can call it the Jeanette Williams Memorial Bridge"
1160:
1124:
1081:
1074:
1049:
915:
908:
780:. January 1, 1986. p. A1 – via NewsBank.
204:
187:
170:
165:
154:
144:
139:
129:
121:
110:
100:
92:
53:
30:
969:George Washington Memorial Bridge (Aurora Bridge)
817:. May 19, 1989. p. B3 – via NewsBank.
793:"Shippers look forward to wider 'highway' lanes"
506:"Ship Runs Into Seattle Bridge (Published 1978)"
251:Both bridges carried traffic until 1978, when a
430:rammed the West Spokane Street Bridge over the
688:
686:
684:
867:
578:(1984). "100 - Six Bridges to West Seattle".
8:
560:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
453:appropriating funds to a high-level bridge,
291:The West Spokane Street Bridge crossed the
239:, United States. The bridges connected the
1183:Italics denote former bridges and tunnels.
1078:
912:
874:
860:
852:
27:
488:. The bridge reopened in September 2022.
423:At 2:38 a.m. on June 11, 1978, the
811:"Spokane St. Bridge is closing forever"
497:
642:
640:
553:
371:Traffic on the 1924 bridge in May 1930
1247:Bridge disasters in the United States
1237:June 1978 events in the United States
1094:Aubrey Davis Park (Mercer Island Lid)
842:Seattle Segments: West Seattle Bridge
260:
7:
1242:Bridge disasters caused by collision
1207:Bascule bridges in the United States
791:Gough, William (February 21, 1989).
407:West Spokane Street Bridge collision
1222:1978 disasters in the United States
1217:Road bridges in Washington (state)
882:Bridges and tunnels in and around
799:. p. C3 – via NewsBank.
227:that crossed the west fork of the
44:The bridges in 1931, as seen from
14:
711:Daryl C McClary (April 9, 2007).
257:Jeanette Williams Memorial Bridge
38:
1137:Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel
984:Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge
974:Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge
953:Evergreen Point Floating Bridge
946:Evergreen Point Floating Bridge
774:"Starting the year with a bang"
343:. Prior to the construction of
180:September 20, 1930 (eastbound)
155:
134:Seattle Engineering Department
1:
999:North Queen Anne Drive Bridge
318:
311:
304:
620:"When the Ship Hit the Span"
618:Royer, Bob (June 20, 2011).
832:West Seattle Bridge exhibit
647:Eals, Clay (May 21, 2020).
267:connecting West Seattle to
1263:
1227:1978 in Washington (state)
1040:West Spokane Street Bridge
900:List of tunnels in Seattle
895:List of bridges in Seattle
836:Seattle Municipal Archives
441:
404:
358:
339:) connected the bridge to
279:Background and early years
217:West Spokane Street Bridge
32:West Spokane Street Bridge
15:
1212:Bridges completed in 1924
1180:
1168:Brightwater sewage tunnel
959:First Avenue South Bridge
890:
275:, which opened in 1991).
209:
194:June 11, 1978 (westbound)
177:December 1924 (westbound)
48:in Delridge, West Seattle
37:
593:Phelps, Myra L. (1978).
197:May 23, 1989 (eastbound)
16:Not to be confused with
1152:University Link tunnel
432:Duwamish West Waterway
420:
386:long drawn-out process
372:
337:Spokane Street Viaduct
288:
77:47.57139°N 122.35333°W
1147:Northgate Link tunnel
1142:Great Northern Tunnel
1100:Battery Street Tunnel
1089:State Route 99 Tunnel
1024:20th Avenue NE Bridge
1019:Spokane Street Bridge
473:that opened in 1991;
467:Spokane Street Bridge
448:Spokane Street Bridge
414:
370:
286:
273:Spokane Street Bridge
125:Spokane Street Bridge
18:Spokane Street Bridge
580:Seattle Now and Then
455:Seattle City Council
82:47.57139; -122.35333
1232:1978 road incidents
1034:West Seattle Bridge
1004:Schmitz Park Bridge
940:East Channel Bridge
924:Alaskan Way Viaduct
762:. October 23, 2009.
760:West Seattle Herald
744:. October 23, 2009.
444:West Seattle Bridge
438:Replacement bridges
355:Replacement project
73: /
1202:Bridges in Seattle
1132:Beacon Hill Tunnel
1116:Mount Baker Tunnel
510:The New York Times
475:Kiewit Corporation
421:
373:
289:
271:(now known as the
117:, Washington, U.S.
1189:
1188:
1176:
1175:
1106:Convention Center
1070:
1069:
1062:Wilburton Trestle
1057:Salmon Bay Bridge
1029:University Bridge
1014:South Park Bridge
1009:Ship Canal Bridge
979:Jose Rizal Bridge
935:Cowen Park Bridge
815:The Seattle Times
797:The Seattle Times
778:The Seattle Times
675:The Seattle Times
653:The Seattle Times
512:. June 12, 1978.
486:COVID-19 pandemic
459:Jeanette Williams
331:A more permanent
213:
212:
1254:
1079:
913:
876:
869:
862:
853:
843:
819:
818:
807:
801:
800:
788:
782:
781:
770:
764:
763:
752:
746:
745:
734:
728:
727:
725:
723:
708:
702:
701:
690:
679:
678:
670:
664:
663:
661:
659:
644:
635:
634:
632:
630:
624:Cascadia Courier
615:
609:
608:
590:
584:
583:
572:
566:
565:
559:
551:
550:
548:
535:
529:
528:
526:
524:
502:
323:
320:
316:
313:
309:
306:
262:
157:
88:
87:
85:
84:
83:
78:
74:
71:
70:
69:
66:
42:
28:
1262:
1261:
1257:
1256:
1255:
1253:
1252:
1251:
1192:
1191:
1190:
1185:
1172:
1156:
1120:
1066:
1045:
994:Montlake Bridge
989:Magnolia Bridge
904:
886:
880:
841:
828:
823:
822:
809:
808:
804:
790:
789:
785:
772:
771:
767:
754:
753:
749:
742:WestSeattleBlog
736:
735:
731:
721:
719:
710:
709:
705:
698:HistoryLink.org
692:
691:
682:
672:
671:
667:
657:
655:
646:
645:
638:
628:
626:
617:
616:
612:
605:
592:
591:
587:
574:
573:
569:
552:
546:
544:
537:
536:
532:
522:
520:
504:
503:
499:
494:
463:Warren Magnuson
450:
442:Main articles:
440:
409:
403:
363:
357:
321:
314:
307:
281:
225:bascule bridges
200:
183:
140:Characteristics
81:
79:
75:
72:
67:
64:
62:
60:
59:
49:
33:
24:
21:
12:
11:
5:
1260:
1258:
1250:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1194:
1193:
1187:
1186:
1181:
1178:
1177:
1174:
1173:
1171:
1170:
1164:
1162:
1158:
1157:
1155:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1139:
1134:
1128:
1126:
1122:
1121:
1119:
1118:
1113:
1103:
1096:
1091:
1085:
1083:
1076:
1072:
1071:
1068:
1067:
1065:
1064:
1059:
1053:
1051:
1047:
1046:
1044:
1043:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1006:
1001:
996:
991:
986:
981:
976:
971:
966:
964:Fremont Bridge
961:
956:
950:
942:
937:
932:
930:Ballard Bridge
927:
919:
917:
910:
906:
905:
903:
902:
897:
891:
888:
887:
881:
879:
878:
871:
864:
856:
850:
849:
838:
827:
826:External links
824:
821:
820:
802:
783:
765:
747:
729:
703:
680:
677:. p. A18.
665:
636:
610:
603:
585:
567:
530:
496:
495:
493:
490:
439:
436:
417:Antonio Chavez
405:Main article:
402:
401:1978 collision
399:
378:Forward Thrust
361:Forward Thrust
356:
353:
333:bascule bridge
293:Duwamish River
280:
277:
229:Duwamish River
211:
210:
207:
206:
202:
201:
199:
198:
195:
191:
189:
185:
184:
182:
181:
178:
174:
172:
168:
167:
163:
162:
159:
152:
151:
149:Bascule bridge
146:
142:
141:
137:
136:
131:
127:
126:
123:
119:
118:
112:
108:
107:
105:Duwamish River
102:
98:
97:
96:Spokane Street
94:
90:
89:
57:
51:
50:
43:
35:
34:
31:
22:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1259:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1199:
1197:
1184:
1179:
1169:
1166:
1165:
1163:
1159:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1129:
1127:
1123:
1117:
1114:
1111:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1101:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1086:
1084:
1080:
1077:
1073:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1048:
1042:
1041:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
954:
951:
948:
947:
943:
941:
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
925:
921:
920:
918:
914:
911:
907:
901:
898:
896:
893:
892:
889:
885:
877:
872:
870:
865:
863:
858:
857:
854:
848:
844:
839:
837:
833:
830:
829:
825:
816:
812:
806:
803:
798:
794:
787:
784:
779:
775:
769:
766:
761:
757:
751:
748:
743:
739:
733:
730:
718:
714:
707:
704:
699:
695:
689:
687:
685:
681:
676:
669:
666:
654:
650:
643:
641:
637:
625:
621:
614:
611:
606:
604:9780960192816
600:
596:
589:
586:
581:
577:
571:
568:
563:
557:
543:
542:
534:
531:
519:
515:
511:
507:
501:
498:
491:
489:
487:
482:
480:
476:
472:
468:
464:
460:
456:
449:
445:
437:
435:
433:
429:
426:
418:
413:
408:
400:
398:
394:
391:
387:
382:
379:
369:
365:
362:
354:
352:
350:
349:U.S. Route 99
346:
342:
338:
334:
329:
327:
302:
298:
297:Harbor Island
294:
285:
278:
276:
274:
270:
269:Harbor Island
266:
258:
254:
249:
246:
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
208:
203:
196:
193:
192:
190:
186:
179:
176:
175:
173:
169:
164:
160:
153:
150:
147:
143:
138:
135:
132:
130:Maintained by
128:
124:
122:Other name(s)
120:
116:
113:
109:
106:
103:
99:
95:
91:
86:
58:
56:
52:
47:
41:
36:
29:
26:
19:
1182:
1110:Freeway Park
1098:
1039:
1038:
944:
922:
814:
805:
796:
786:
777:
768:
759:
750:
741:
732:
720:. Retrieved
716:
706:
697:
674:
668:
656:. Retrieved
652:
627:. Retrieved
623:
613:
594:
588:
579:
570:
547:December 23,
545:, retrieved
540:
533:
523:December 30,
521:. Retrieved
509:
500:
483:
471:swing bridge
451:
427:
422:
416:
395:
383:
374:
364:
345:Interstate 5
330:
326:swing bridge
301:West Seattle
290:
265:swing bridge
250:
245:West Seattle
216:
214:
46:Pigeon Point
25:
717:Historylink
576:Paul Dorpat
341:Beacon Hill
322: 1918
315: 1910
308: 1900
80: /
68:122°21′12″W
55:Coordinates
1196:Categories
492:References
359:See also:
237:Washington
65:47°34′17″N
518:0362-4331
425:freighter
253:freighter
582:. Tartu.
556:citation
479:downtown
384:After a
205:Location
158:of spans
1161:Utility
1075:Tunnels
909:Bridges
884:Seattle
847:YouTube
834:at the
722:May 26,
658:May 21,
629:May 26,
457:member
233:Seattle
166:History
115:Seattle
101:Crosses
93:Carries
955:(2016)
949:(1963)
601:
516:
428:Chavez
390:bribes
317:, and
261:a.k.a.
219:was a
188:Closed
171:Opened
145:Design
111:Locale
295:from
1125:Rail
1082:Road
1050:Rail
916:Road
724:2014
660:2020
631:2014
599:ISBN
562:link
549:2020
525:2020
514:ISSN
469:, a
446:and
415:The
243:and
241:SoDo
221:pair
215:The
1112:Lid
845:on
299:to
231:in
223:of
156:No.
1198::
813:.
795:.
776:.
758:.
740:.
715:.
696:.
683:^
651:.
639:^
622:.
558:}}
554:{{
508:.
481:.
351:.
319:c.
312:c.
310:,
305:c.
235:,
1108:-
875:e
868:t
861:v
726:.
700:.
662:.
633:.
607:.
564:)
527:.
259:(
161:2
20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
