After some weather-related delays, the contractor for the Ballard Bascule Bridge Painting project plans to begin closing a single southbound lane of traffic tonight. The closures will take place on weekdays, continuing into April.

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 closed at night from 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday to 6 a.m. the following mornings.

Due to the southbound lane closure, the west sidewalk will be closed; however, the east sidewalk will reopen.

Bicyclists will be detoured from the west sidewalk when it is closed. 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