University Bridge Planning Study

Investing in the Future of Our Bridges

Updated October 17, 2023

What's Happening Now?

Thank you to everyone who was able to take our online survey over the summer! We received responses from over 700 people who regularly use the University Bridge and their feedback has been summarized here. You can also find a link to the report in the Materials section below.

The input we gathered informed our alternatives evaluation for the northern concrete bridge segment and will continue to guide future capital investments on this critical crossing. Our consultants are finalizing the technical report and we will share the findings before the end of the year.

In the meantime, please reach out to us at universitybridge@seattle.gov with any questions.

Project Overview

Study Area Map

University Bridge is defined as four (4) different structure types:

North Approach (north of Pacific St) – Concrete
North Approach (south of Pacific St) – Steel
Main Span – Steel Bascule (movable)
South Approach - Steel

The north approach was originally constructed in 1919 with timber trestle approaches and replaced with current concrete and steel structures in the early 1930’s. We are conducting a planning study to evaluate rehabilitation and replacement alternatives for the northern concrete section. This will help to provide a basis for SDOT to plan for future funding when the decision to has been made to move forward with design and construction.

We perform regular maintenance and frequent inspections on the bridge to ensure it is operational and safe for both road and marine traffic. With the steady increase in vehicle weight and traffic volumes, as the structure ages, more significant rehabilitation may be needed to sustain its current level of operation. Since the structure is still in fair condition without any major flaws, we have an opportunity to plan ahead and look beyond just maintaining its current form and function. So, we've launched the University Bridge Planning Study to evaluate how to bring the north segment of the structure up to current transportation, functional, and engineering standards and better meet the multimodal needs of this corridor.

The planning study, funded by the Levy to Move Seattle, will explore feasible rehabilitation and replacement options for the long-term future of the north segment of the bridge. The bridge planning studies are a part of our effort to better understand the size of Seattle's maintenance backlog and prepare for future investments.

The planning study will identify associated costs, risks, benefits, and trade-offs of each option. Through the end of the year, we'll work with our agency partners, advisory boards, and community members to identify needs and values that will guide our evaluation of the alternatives.

Schedule

We are working toward completing the study and finalizing the alternatives evaluation report by early 2024.

Funding

This planning study is funded by 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. Learn more on the Levy to Move Seattle page.

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