NE 45th St Pedestrian Bridge Seismic Retrofit
Updated May 30, 2024
What's Happening Now?
We will begin construction on the seismic retrofits to the NE 45th St Pedestrian Bridge as soon as late May 2024. These improvements will help retrofit the bridge to better withstand earthquakes. We expect construction will last approximately 4-5 months. Construction schedules are subject to change and depend on factors such as weather and availability of crews and materials.
To complete the work as safely and efficiently as possible, the bridge will be closed to people walking, biking, and rolling during 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 regular email updates once construction begins.To receive project updates, sign up to Updated join our project listserv.
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 NE 45th St Pedestrian Bridge. The NE 45th St Pedestrian Bridge is an older bridge built prior to modernizing the seismic design code. The bridge provides a more direct connection across NE 45th St for the Laurelhurst neighborhood.
We're not planning on changing the current use and operation of the bridge. The planned seismic retrofits to NE 45th St Pedestrian Bridge include several modifications to strengthen existing bridge components and reduce the bridge’s vulnerability to earthquakes. The following are major construction elements:
- Installing carbon fiber wrapping to strengthen the bridge's beams and superstructure
- Strengthening foundations with reinforced concrete
- Repairing damaged shear key at the south abutment
What to expect during construction
Construction will begin as soon as late May 2024 and is expected to last approximately 4-5 months. Once construction begins, we will continue to share information on our webpage and through weekly email updates. You can sign up for our project listserv to receive email updates.
To complete the work as safely and efficiently as possible, the bridge will be closed to people walking, biking, and rolling during construction. We understand this closure will impact everyone who uses the bridge regularly and will do what we can to minimize impacts.
In addition to the above bridge closure, 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
- Temporary sidewalk and crossing closures for people walking and rolling. Detours will be provided and signed
- Staged construction equipment and materials as well as noise, dust, and vibrations in the work area
- Typical weekday work hours of 7 AM – 5 PM, Monday through Friday
Project schedule*
| 30% Design | Complete |
| 60% Design | Complete |
| 90% Design | Complete |
| Final Design | Complete |
| Construction begins | Late May 2024 |
* The schedule is subject to change.
Once construction begins it is scheduled to last approximately 4-5 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
We’ll update you with project materials such as mailings, flyers, and fact sheets as they are created throughout the construction phase of the project.
Translation and interpretation
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