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[Bruce]

A view of the cracks and carbon wrapping on part of the bridge, shot yesterday from the lower bridge:

[kkt]

Nice photo.  I think I'll wait a few months after it opens before driving it...

[Bruce]

New cost-benefit analysis is out: https://sdotblog.seattle.gov/2020/10/20/weve-completed-a-cost-benefit-analysis-to-support-and-inform-the-repair-or-replacement-paths-forward-for-the-west-seattle-high-rise-bridge/

The immersed tube did not make the cut.

[jakeroot]

Well, it made the cut. The only one that didn't appears to be a partial super-structure replacement.

But yes, it performed poorly and was best in none of the categories, so proceeding with that option would be exceedingly unlikely.

Some of the concepts (full replacement and the upcoming (done deal?) rapid replacement) look quite nice, relative to the current WSB which is basically just an elevated superstructure with nothing interesting happening.

[compdude787]

Just uploaded a video to YouTube of me driving over the West Seattle Bridge in May 2019, just ten months before its closure. Enjoy!

[jakeroot]

^^
Thanks for uploading!

Not saying you need to post it, but you wouldn't happen to have kept the original footage by chance? Just in the future, if we want to slow things down and maybe take a screenshot or something.

[compdude787]

^^
Thanks for uploading!

Not saying you need to post it, but you wouldn't happen to have kept the original footage by chance? Just in the future, if we want to slow things down and maybe take a screenshot or something.

You're welcome.

Oh yes, I still have the original footage.

[Plutonic Panda]

It looks like this bridge won’t be replaced but rather repaired with an extended life span of 30-40 years:

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said a repaired bridge could reopen to traffic by “mid-2022.” Transportation officials declined to give a more specific timeline.

Read more here: https://www.kuow.org/stories/west-seattle-bridge-to-be-repaired-not-replaced

[Bruce]

First month of fines for the lower bridge yielded 5,300 tickets

https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-police-tickets-over-5000-vehicles-crossing-lower-spokane-street-bridge-this-month

[Plutonic Panda]

Absolutely ridiculous. Open it up to regularly vehicles. Gotta find a way to make up for that shortfall I guess.

[kkt]

Perhaps it'll be enough to pay for retrofitting the high level bridge.

[jakeroot]

Absolutely ridiculous. Open it up to regularly vehicles. Gotta find a way to make up for that shortfall I guess.

The detour adds a good 15 minutes, but the traffic delays from squeezing all those cars over the lower bridge may very well exceed that detour. It's better to reserve the capacity of the lower bridge for the most important vehicles, like emergency vehicles, trucks, and buses.

I also think the First Ave South Bridge opens a bit less.

[Bruce]

Absolutely ridiculous. Open it up to regularly vehicles. Gotta find a way to make up for that shortfall I guess.

The lower bridge is only one lane per direction and is not well-suited to handling normal traffic. Keeping buses and freight moving is far more important, and there are alternatives that only take 20 minutes at worst (from what I've experienced in my dozens of trips to and from the peninsula since July).