How have Washington bridges fared?

Several bridges have collapsed in Washington state over the years. Here are a few of them:

Dec. 18, 1915

At 6:11 a.m., a steel bridge across the Spokane River at Division Street collapsed, sending five people to their deaths and injuring a number of others.

Nov. 7, 1940

At about 11 a.m., the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed during high winds. The bridge spanned the Tacoma Narrows, a deep section of Puget Sound that separates Pierce County from the Kitsap Peninsula. The bridge collapsed four months and seven days after it is dedicated. It was rebuilt in 1950.

June 11, 1978

At 2:58 a.m., the MV Chavez, a 550-foot-long freighter, piloted by 80-year-old Rolf Neslund, collided with the north drawspan of Spokane Street Bridge No. 1 (also known as the West Seattle Bridge), damaging it beyond repair and leaving it permanently in the open position. The accident resulted in the construction of a much-needed six-lane, 157-foot-tall high-span bridge and freeway, eliminating a notorious bottleneck at Harbor Island and directly linking West Seattle with the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Interstate 5 and the city.

Feb. 13, 1979

About 7 a.m., the western half of the Hood Canal Floating Bridge sank during a severe storm. It was supposed to be impervious, but a windstorm and a strong tide sank the bridge. It was rebuilt, then nearly sank again in a 1990 storm when a generator failed.

Dec. 22, 1989

One woman was killed and several were injured when several cars crashed into a midspan section of the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge accidentally raised during a routine test of the mechanism.

Nov. 25, 1990

After a week of high winds and rain, the 50-year-old Lacey V. Murrow Bridge (Lake Washington Floating Bridge) broke apart and plunged into the bottom of Lake Washington. The bridge, which connects Seattle with Mercer Island, sank during a reconstruction project. Holes had been cut in the floating pontoons and left open. Contractors also used the pontoons to store wastewater they weren't allowed to dump in Lake Washington, and cracks may have let more water seep in. When the bridge settled low enough, water poured through the holes and it went down.

Jan. 2, 1997

The Magnolia Bridge was damaged by mudslides. Heavy snow and rain undermined the hillside adjacent to the bridge, and it was closed to traffic Jan. 2. Engineers feared that the stability of many of the bridge supports was threatened. Subsequent examination determined that only one footing needed to be replaced. Work also was done on a retaining wall.

Compiled by Seattle Times researcher Miyoko Wolf