With the closure of the South Park Bridge at the end of the month, King County is working to smoothly transition the estimated 20,000 vehicles that cross the bridge each day onto other roads.
Most vehicles will be detoured to the First Ave. Bridge, State Route 99, and State Route 509.
The closure will affect three Metro bus lines, Route 60 (White Center, South Park, Georgetown, Beacon Hill and near downtown Seattle), Route 131 (Des Moines, Burien, South Park, Georgetown and downtown Seattle) and Route 134 (Burien, South Park, Georgetown and downtown Seattle).
The 78-year-old bridge is said to be in such bad shape repairing it is no longer an option. Burien Councilmember Jack Block Jr. said this is not a situation if the traffic caused by opening the bridge becomes overwhelming they can simply reopen the bridge. Because, as Block pointed out, by the end of summer there will no longer be a bridge to reopen.
In the coming months after the bridge is closed on June 30, at 7 p.m., it will be completely torn down.
The plan is to build a new moveable bascule bridge where the old one used to be. The new bridge is estimated to cost $130 million. Recently King County Executive Dow Constantine proposed the County take out $40 million in bonds to help repair the bridge. This still needs to be voted on by the King County Council, and even if it is approved it only covers about a third of the total costs.
Once the money is fund to replace the bridge it is estimated it will take three years to construct a new one.
Constantine has also asked the Cities of Tukwilla and Seattle, as well as the Port of Seattle for their financial support to fund a new bridge. Constantine also plans to help fund the project with a Local Improvement District, which would tax property owners such as Boeing, and the U.S. Government.
The County asked the Federal Government for $100 million in federal stimulus money for the bridge but was denied. The next deadline to apply for stimulus funds is in August. Constantine has said if enough local sources back the plan it could help them win Federal support.
