The Seattle Department of Transportation’s painting project on the Fremont Bridge is nearing completion. One of the last areas to be painted requires leaving one of the two spans of the bridge upright to expose surface areas which are otherwise inaccessible. This work will be done on Saturday and Sunday, March 28 and 29, between midnight and 7 a.m. when traffic volumes are light. Pedestrians and bicycles (but not vehicles) will be allowed 5 minute long crossing periods at 1:20 a.m. and 2:20 a.m. – otherwise all traffic must use alternate routes during this early morning closure.

The painting project began in August 2014 and consists of preparing and re-coating the steel parts of the bridge to help keep them from rusting. SDOT paints the bridge every 12 to 15 years to prolong its useful life.

The Fremont Bridge has the lowest clearance for marine traffic of Seattle’s bridges, and is believed to open more frequently than any other bascule bridge in North America.