SDOT and Metro teaming up to give free water taxi rides during the closure of the lower Spokane Street bridge.
File photo by Patrick Robinson
Information from Seattle Department of Transportation
The ongoing closure of the Spokane St Swing Bridge (low bridge) for emergency repairs continues to impact travelers on both sides of the Duwamish Waterway headed to and from West Seattle. To support these people, and help make transit access easier and more affordable, Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has partnered with King County Metro to make it even easier to ride transit during this closure by offering free credits for trips on the West Seattle Water Taxi or bus using the Transit GO Ticket app. The fares are funded by the Seattle Transit Measure, which was passed by voters in 2020.
“Providing an app and code to give free transit to riders accessing West Seattle is a great way to support mobility during the temporary closure of the Spokane Street Bridge” said SDOT Director Greg Spotts. “We’re grateful to our friends at King County Metro for their partnership in addressing this challenge.”
“We’re pleased to partner with the City of Seattle to offer riders reliable transit alternatives while the Lower Spokane Street Bridge is under repair” said King County Metro General Manager Michelle Allison. “We hope this makes their travel a little easier between West Seattle and downtown."
Detailed instructions are provided on this SDOT Blog post.
- To get free trip credits, people should download the Transit Go Ticket app and create an account.
- They may then click on “Rewards” and enter the code LOWBRIDGE23 to get 1,500 points for their next ride.
- Transit riders can then press “Redeem” to choose between using these points for a trip on the West Seattle Water Taxi or a bus that travels to/from West Seattle.
- People may then press “View Ticket” to confirm their order, and show the ticket to their transit operator.
- Once the ticket has been used, people will be automatically awarded another 1,500 points for their next ride. They will continue to earn free points for transit rides as long as the Spokane St Bridge is closed to people walking, rolling, and biking.
The Spokane St Swing Bridge has been stuck since December 23 when the mechanical and electrical systems were damaged during a severe ice storm. More recent updates about the response effort are available here:
