McGilvra Blvd E Bridge Seismic Retrofit

Project overview

Earthquakes could have a major impact on Seattle’s infrastructure. To address seismic risks to city infrastructure, the City of Seattle established a bridge seismic program to assess how vulnerable the City’s bridges were to earthquakes, and to retrofit bridges to better withstand the potential impacts of an earthquake.

As part of the Levy to Move Seattle, 16 bridges were selected for seismic retrofits, including the McGilvra Blvd E Bridge. The McGilvra Blvd E Bridge is an older bridge constructed before the modernization of the seismic design code. The bridge provides a more direct connection for the Washington Park and Harrison/Denny-Blaine neighborhoods. 

We're not planning on changing the current use and operation of the bridge. The planned seismic retrofits to McGilvra Blvd E Bridge include several modifications to strengthen existing bridge components and reduce the bridge’s vulnerability to earthquakes. The following are major construction elements: 

• Installing drilling shafts in the roadway
• Temporary excavation and shoring to support the drilling of the shafts 

What to expect during construction 

Construction will begin as soon as August 2024 and is anticipated to last approximately 6-7 months. Once construction begins, we will continue to share information on our webpage and through regular email updates. You can sign up online to receive email updates.    

To complete the work as safely and efficiently as possible, the bridge will be closed to all people driving for the duration of construction. We understand this closure will impact everyone who uses the bridge regularly and will do what we can to minimize impacts. We will share information about detours before the start of construction. 

In addition to a full closure of the bridge, we currently anticipate the following construction impacts:    

• Work in the public right-of-way near your home or business  
• Temporary on-street parking restrictions, with "no park" signs placed 72 hours in advance 
• Noise, dust, and vibrations in the work area
• Staged construction equipment and materials
• Typical weekday work hours of 7 AM – 5 PM, Monday through Friday 

Project schedule* 

^{* The schedule is subject to change.}  

Once construction begins it is scheduled to last approximately 6-7 months. Construction schedules are also subject to change and depend on factors such as weather and availability of crews and materials. 

Funding 

The project is funded through the Levy to Move Seattle. Approved by voters in 2015, the 9-year, $930 million Levy to Move Seattle provides funding to improve safety for all travelers, maintain our streets and bridges, and invest in reliable, affordable travel options for a growing city.  

Get involved 

We're committed to keeping you informed and working with neighbors to limit construction impacts to the extent feasible. Here are some ways to get more information about the project:  

• Sign up for our project listserv to receive weekly project updates 
• Email the project team at BridgeSeismicRetrofit@seattle.gov   
• Leave a voicemail at (206) 775-8734. A project representative will return your call.  

Materials 

• Project Factsheet (June 2024) 

Translation and interpretation 

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