The state’s final design recommendations for the westside components of the 520 replacement project include a simplified design for a new Portage Bay Bridge that drops previous plans for fancy cables and includes a “land bridge” as part of the planned Montlake lid that will help link the area for better pedestrian and bicycle access across the highway, planners say.
UPDATE: The state wants your feedback on the plans — you can take the survey here through February 13th.
The entire, massive, 166-page WSDOT “final concept design” report for the projects is below. The Seattle Times took an in-depth look at the update here. CHS reported on the westside components including a smaller than originally planned Montlake lid and the start of construction on some of the projects here in September.
The replacement projects are part of a massive overhaul of the 520 floating bridge. Construction on the floating bridge work continues. In March, CHS reported on the start of work on the so-called West Approach Bridge North section of the bridge. The $300 million federally funded westbound section will have three lanes and include a pedestrian and bike path that will eventually connect to a path all the way across Lake Washington. Seattle’s side of things includes more than a billion dollars in 520 replacement projects yet to be funded.
Despite a cheaper Portage Bay Bridge, the new reports predict the cost of the unfunded westside sections will come in at $1.57 billion pushing the total 520 project cost to nearly $4.5 billion. But first, lawmakers must pass a new state transportation plan in Olympia.
The full WSDOT design report is below.
[…] If the plan doesn’t get mucked up for the northern end of the route, the area should connect nicely to Montlake’s bicycle and pedestrian resources included in the Seattle-side 520 replacement project. […]
[…] final proposals for the designs of its Seattle-side 520 replacement projects including a new Portage Bay bridge and a Montlake lid. SBB has details on the biking and walking elements of the proposals here. You might want to take a […]
[…] improvements,” according to the council’s announcement for the hearing. CHS looked at the final designs for Seattle-side 520 projects including a new Portage Bay Bridge, and a Montlake &… when the proposals were released in […]