Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

The Seattle Times

Local News


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced

Originally published November 21, 2008 at 12:00 AM | Page modified November 21, 2008 at 12:40 AM

Comments (6)     E-mail article     Print view

520 bridge | 6-lane bridge's cost no easy sell

A six-lane replacement bridge for Highway 520 looks increasingly hard to afford, based on new cost estimates Thursday by the state Department...

Seattle Times transportation reporter

Highway 520 bridge

Cost: Ranges from $4.6 billion to $6.6 billion, depending on the Montlake exit design.

Funding sources: Tolls, federal bridge funds, state gasoline tax.

Decision-making process: Gov. Christine Gregoire and state lawmakers choose a design, and tolling policies, in 2009, with design advice from a 34-member mediation group in Seattle.

Estimated completion date: Corridor done by 2016, finishing work by 2018.

Options for building the 520 bridge

ALL THREE LEADING OPTIONS for a Seattle exit would drive the cost of the six-lane crossing above the $3.9 billion target announced earlier this year by Gov. Christine Gregoire. Building exit ramps at the shore of Lake Washington is an expensive and controversial problem. The following cost estimates include each option and the rest of the corridor from Interstate 5 to Interstate 405:

Montlake Interchange: New interchange similar to the existing one, but bigger, and a second Montlake Boulevard drawbridge, for $4.6 billion.

Union Bay Bridge: Exit bridge to the University of Washington, above the Montlake Cut, for $5.1 billion.

Tunnel exit: Exit tunnel beneath Montlake Cut emerging near Husky Stadium, for $6.6 billion.

Source: state Department of Transportation

A six-lane replacement bridge for Highway 520 looks increasingly hard to afford, based on new cost estimates Thursday by the state Department of Transportation.

The new numbers seemingly favor the cheapest of three leading options for an exit to the University of Washington: a larger Montlake interchange plus a second Montlake Boulevard drawbridge, to allow for more traffic and high-occupancy lanes going north and south.

But after more than 10 years of political arguments over bridge design, it's foolish to assume anything.

All three options, each with two car-pool lanes, exceed the $3.9 billion target set by Gov. Christine Gregoire. In January, the governor and state DOT leaders asserted that by accelerating pontoon construction and simplifying design, they could hold costs down.

That's no longer the case.

New features and spikes in material prices boosted costs, said David Dye, deputy DOT director. Some structures, including noise walls, need more concrete and steel than expected.

The design controversies focus on how to design the bridge on the Seattle shoreline. Those choices would result in the following cost for the whole 520 corridor, to Interstate 405:

• The Montlake interchange option, $4.6 billion.

• A high exit bridge over Union Bay to Husky Stadium, $5.1 billion.

• A tunneled exit beneath Montlake Cut, $6.6 billion.

A 34-person mediation group split Thursday over which plan is best.

Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin blasted the cheaper Montlake interchange version. "It will be very difficult for the Seattle City Council to come out in favor of an alternative that offloads freeway traffic onto our neighborhood streets," he said.

The state hopes to open a new bridge by 2016.

The revenue side looks bleak. A total $1.9 billion has been earmarked from state gas taxes, federal bridge grants and other known sources. Only by tolling both the Highway 520 and I-90 floating bridges (which requires lifting a prohibition in state law) could the state raise more than $2 billion and come close to affording the least expensive option.

The state will study all three, look for savings, and consider other funding, said Ron Judd, senior adviser to Gregoire. "Do we do it as an entire project, or do we do it in phases, and how do we pay for that?"

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

More Local News headlines...

E-mail article Print view      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

Comments
4 Billion dollars to build a bridge that upon opening will not be able to handle the traffic level of today, BRILLIANT!. If we are to build a new...  Posted on November 21, 2008 at 11:55 AM by Bellevue Rob. Jump to comment
4 Billion Dollars for an extra carpool lane? LAME-O!! With that kind of money, how about having the bridge at least 8 or 10 lanes to make it...  Posted on November 21, 2008 at 1:20 PM by oc surfer. Jump to comment
We have a 520 bridge that works; the cost to replace it is too high. The big push is to replace the 520 bridge before a big earthquake hits. This...  Posted on November 21, 2008 at 7:03 AM by Kruller. Jump to comment

advertising

Bombs, guns found at home of suspect in Officer Brenton's slaying

How an underdog named Mike McGinn took City Hall

Danny Westneat: Lee the Horse Logger found slow wagon shrank tumor

Parents want answers on new Seattle school boundaries

3 Cascade Mountain passes close due to snow; more rain, wind expected Sunday

Advertising

Video

Mourners gather at KeyArena for slain officer's memorial
Mourners gathered at KeyArena for the memorial service of Seattle police Officer Timothy Brenton on November 6, 2009.

Procession for slain SPD officer
Election Night: Approve R-71
Election Night: Reject R-71
Election Night: Joe Mallahan
Election Night: Mike McGinn
Election Night: Susan Hutchison
Election Night: Dow Constatine
Candlelight vigil for Officer Brenton
Flying Elephant on Aurora

Marketplace

nwautos

2009's most fuel-efficient sedansnew
Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment

Open Houses

Find this weekend's open house listings.
Or search by location:

 
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
 
 
Advertising