SEATTLE — This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com
Seattle’s First Avenue South Bridge is getting another round of emergency fixes — and WSDOT is racing to finish before the World Cup kicks off.
In February, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) inspectors found cracked steel deck panels on the SR 99 bridge. Work to replace them will start this month and involve weekend and overnight closures through May.
Brian Nielsen with WSDOT said the agency wants to complete repairs before Seattle’s first World Cup match on June 15.
“We aim to begin construction as soon as the bridge panels arrive to ensure we can finish well before the first match, which is on June 15,” Nielsen told a Seattle City Council committee on Thursday. “We need our highway network in full capacity once the World Cup arrives, as we are going to be accommodating hundreds of thousands of visitors.”
A full deck replacement of the First Avenue South Bridge is planned for next year.
Cracked steel grates discovered during routine inspection of First Avenue South Bridge
On Feb. 18, crews working for WSDOT discovered cracks in some of the steel grates on the 1st Avenue S. bridge draw span during routine inspections.
The discovery was concerning enough that WSDOT immediately closed two lanes that were affected.
Work to stabilize the bridge was done between March 9 and March 13.
On that day, all lanes were reopened at a temporary 25-mph speed limit, WSDOT said.
Crews modified existing grated panels and installed steel plates over the cracked grates to restore safe vehicle access across all lanes. Welding and reinforcement work was done to strengthen the most affected sections of the bridge deck.
Once the new panels are in place this spring, all northbound lanes will reopen at normal speeds.
Full SR 99 northbound bridge deck replacement planned for 2027
Design is underway for a full replacement of the northbound bridge deck, with construction expected in 2027. This project will address broader needs and will require more substantial coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard and regional partners. More information will be shared on this phase of the project in early 2027.
Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.