information from the Port of Seattle

The Port of Seattle Commission approved a $9 million memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the City of Seattle to join with other federal and local agencies to provide funding for the West Seattle Bridge program. Funding will aid the reopening of the West Seattle Bridge in mid-2022 and improving the Spokane Street Swing Bridge, as well. This partnership, formalized in this MOU, will ensure good access to the Port’s cargo terminals, promote freight mobility in the harbor, and relieve the traffic impacts on West Seattle and Duwamish Valley neighborhoods.

Editors Note: That means that so far $46.7 million has been secured of the total $175 million needed to effect repairs on both the high rise and lower West Seattle Bridge.

“The West Seattle Bridge is one of the most critical transportation assets in the state of Washington,” said Stephanie Bowman, Port of Seattle Commissioner. “The Port of Seattle needs cargo to move through this gateway as efficiently as possible as we experience the highest volume surges in our history and this MOU will move us in the right direction. This is especially critical as Terminal 5 opens early next year.”

The City of Seattle has affirmed its support for freight mobility and industrial lands vitality. As the City completes a future Replacement Bridge conceptual study, it will do so with the full knowledge of the importance of container terminal operations and access in developing and evaluating the replacement concepts.

“The Port of Seattle and Northwest Seaport Alliance have been critical partners to the City of Seattle as we coordinated emergency repairs on the West Seattle Bridge over the past year and a half and supported the reopening with today’s funding commitment. I want to personally thank the Port Commission and agency leadership for joining the funding coalition who recognize that reopening the West Seattle Bridge is this region’s most urgent transportation need,” said Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan.

City staff will work with the Port to improve traffic flow on S. Spokane St. near the Terminal 18 gate, as well as collaborating with drivers and Duwamish Valley communities to reduce drayage effects on the communities. As the City designs a bicycle lane on West Marginal Way, it will maximize safety for all users and minimize freight impacts. The City and the Port continue to work on other transportation corridors, such as the East Marginal Way, to separate bicycle traffic from road vehicles and add heavy haul pavement depths.