SR 520 floating bridge closed this weekend for annual inspection and maintenance

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) maintenance crews will spend this weekend inspecting and making repairs to the aging State Route 520 floating bridge to make sure it will continue to carry traffic safely through winter weather. While the bridge is closed, drivers should allow extra time to travel across or around Lake Washington during the work. The annual weekend bridge closure starts at 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20, and the bridge will re-open by 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 23.

August 17, 2010 1:22 pm
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) maintenance crews will spend this weekend inspecting and making repairs to the aging State Route 520 floating bridge to make sure it will continue to carry traffic safely through winter weather.
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) maintenance crews will spend this weekend inspecting and making repairs to the aging State Route 520 floating bridge to make sure it will continue to carry traffic safely through winter weather.

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) maintenance crews will spend this weekend inspecting and making repairs to the aging State Route 520 floating bridge to make sure it will continue to carry traffic safely through winter weather.

While the bridge is closed, drivers should allow extra time to travel across or around Lake Washington during the work.

The annual weekend bridge closure starts at 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20, and the bridge will re-open by 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 23. The closure extends from Montlake Boulevard in Seattle to 92nd Avenue Northeast on the Eastside.

During the closure, WSDOT bridge engineers will conduct in-depth mechanical and electrical inspections on the main power supply to the bridge and the mechanical systems. Bridge engineers also will perform ultrasonic testing to analyze the condition of the drawspan’s steel vertical guide rollers. The guide rollers are a key part of the drawspan and are used to open and close the bridge for vessels or to relieve pressure on the bridge during heavy winds.

“These in-depth inspections and preventative maintenance will make sure the bridge is ready for another storm season,” said WSDOT Bridge Superintendent Archie Allen. “If any problems are identified, we have a couple of months to correct them before winter weather sets in.”

Crews also will clean, lubricate and repair the drawspan tracks, clean out drains, repair electrical cover plates, and perform preventative maintenance on the swing gates at mid-span.

“These systems must operate properly so that during a storm we can quickly open the drawspan and protect the bridge from damage,” Allen said.

Inspection results will be available in coming months.

Traffic closure details

• Where: Crews will completely close SR 520 from Montlake Boulevard E. in Seattle to 92nd Avenue NE in Medina.

• When: 11 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 20 until 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 23.

• Alternate routes: I-90, I-405, I-5 and SR 522.

What should drivers do?

• Plan ahead and allow extra time for trips across or around the lake. There are a number of events around the area this weekend. Three are at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21: a Seahawks pre-season game at Qwest Field; a Seattle Storm game at KeyArena; and a concert at Marymoor Park in Redmond.

• Use the overhead highway signs and the 511 driver information line to get up-to-the-minute information on the road.

• Check the Seattle traffic map to pinpoint and avoid congestion at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/seattle.

• Check for weekend construction at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Northwest/construction.