Sunday Bridge Series #8: West Seattle Bridge

Photo & Text Copyright 2010 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.

There are actually three bridges in view here, the tallest and longest is the West Seattle Bridge which spans the east and west branches of the Duwamish Waterway and the southern tip of Harbor Island. This is the main route to West Seattle. The lower bridge to the right is the East Duwamish Waterway Bridge which is the main freight route for Harbor Island as well as a good route for bicyclists heading to West Seattle. It just underwent major restoration last year. The third bridge you'll have to look closely to see. It is a railroad bridge in the raised position just visible to the far left. When lowered, it carries trains from West Seattle to Harbor Island. Harbor Island was once the world's largest man-made island, created in 1908. It divides the Duwamish river into two forks that enter Elliott Bay. This conjunction of the waterway and the bay and the industrial areas along its shores are a super fund clean up site, one of the major issues confronting Seattle. This area houses many types of industry that employ thousands of Seattlites and bring in billions of dollars to our city. The car bridges are on a direct route to the Alaskan Way Viaduct, which is another major challenge facing Seattle. It must be replaced due to age and earthquake damage, but new plans have proven controversial, contentious, and no clear way forward after several years of public votes and tussles between city and state government to create a workable, affordable plan.

Visit Louis la Vache's Sunday Bridge Series to see bridges from all over, and join us there if you have a bridge shot you'd like to share!