SEATTLE — The Seattle Department of Transportation is taking a step toward preparing for the eventual replacement of the Magnolia Bridge. The bridge, built in 1929, is in rough shape. It was damaged and repaired after a mudslide in 1997 and again after the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. Although city officials say it remains safe for traffic, they want to replace it.
After the earthquake, the city began design work on a new bridge and held public meetings. Then, for years, not much happened because the $300 million price tag was so high there's no prospect for funding. Now, city engineers are returning to the environmental assessment they began years ago, finishing parts of it, and updating other parts before they expire.
It hardly guarantees funding, but city officials say it puts Seattle in the best possible position to compete for future federal grants. "It's high on our list and it's not forgotten by any means," said John Buswell of SDOT.
Michael Smith runs a clothing store in Magnolia and years ago served on an advisory group for a new bridge. "I think it's going to happen but I think we're going to need a serious scare on that bridge to get it to happen," Smith said of the replacement prospects.
The city plans to have the environmental assessment ready for public comment in the fall.
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