The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) expects the West Seattle Bridge to be open the week of September 12, 2022, despite setbacks due to the concrete strike.
In an attempt to minimize delays during the strike, SDOT modified the schedule for the bridge repairs by changing where epoxy injections and carbon fiber wrapping took place, building as many forms as possible before concrete delivery, and directing crews to begin major maintenance work, including expansion joints and sign replacement.
SDOT has multiple crews working on the bridge repairs to get it back open in time. They have also streamlined the remaining repairs, with many activities being done at the same time as their "critical path" post-tensioning work, including sign structure replacement, bridge deck repair, concrete overlay on the Fauntleroy Expressway, concrete panel replacement on the western approach to the bridge structure, traffic control sign, road striping, and illumination and streetlight restoration.
The most important job left for the bridge is the post-tensioning system which much be completed in a specific order.
Originally started in 2020, SDOT's timeline was aggressive to complete major construction by the summer of 2022, which did not account for a regional concrete strike that delayed major work on the program by approximately two months.
While the contractor is confident on the September reopening date, there are factors that are out of their control. Those factors include bad weather that could affect exterior carbon-fiber wrapping, getting future concrete deliveries for the bridge deck overlay and restoration, and ongoing worker availability.
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Source: Seattle Department of Transportation
