The contractor for the Ballard Bascule Bridge Painting Project had planned to begin closing a single southbound lane of traffic on the Ballard Bridge on Monday, March 12 and continuing on weekdays into April.

Now, delayed by weather, the contractor expects to begin the closure on Thursday evening, if weather permits. The lane will remain open during peak traffic periods for southbound traffic, but closed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays and then again at night from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day, Monday through Thursday.

When the contractor closes the southbound lane, the west sidewalk will also be closed; until then, the east sidewalk is closed to allow the contractor to access to the bridge.

Bicyclists are detoured during sidewalk closures. Bicyclists may use the Fremont Bridge or may cross the ship canal at the Ballard Locks. (The sidewalks on the Ballard Bridge are too narrow to accommodate bicycle traffic in two directions on the same sidewalk).

Last year, SDOT painted the Ballard Bridge approaches (the raised roadways at each end of the bridge). This year SDOT is painting the bascule part of the bridge, which is the portion of the bridge that opens and closes for marine traffic. SDOT’s annual bridge painting program provides for the periodic painting of each of the city’s 20 structural steel bridges. The painting helps protect the steel surfaces on the bridges from corrosion and other weather deterioration.

For more information or to sign up for project updates, visit the project website at: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/bridgepainting_current.htm