Week of June 2, 2008

A modern bridge for modern times

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A horse-drawn carriage was the first traffic on Tolt Bridge after it opened Friday, May 31st.

The King County Road Services Division opened the new bridge on Northeast Tolt Hill Road on May 30 with a short celebration that featured a parade of transportation styles from the past century. There were cars ranging from early Model T Fords to a 21st Century hybrid; vintage farm equipment; bicyclists; and pedestrians.

"People in our region depend on safe, reliable transportation systems to get them to and from home, work, and recreation opportunities. They are vital to our region’s economy and our quality of life," said King County Executive Ron Sims.

"Throughout the region, bridges, local streets, and other facilities are vital to our core transportation system. Failure of these structures would be catastrophic in terms of human and physical costs,” said Sims. “The new Tolt Bridge was built to withstand the demands of modern life while honoring the natural beauty of the lower Snoqualmie Valley."

The new bridge was built on time and on budget, and strengthens the transportation network in the valley. It is approximately 165 feet upstream from the old bridge. It is wider and stronger making it safer for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The old bridge, built in 1922, had limited sight distance, a narrow roadway, and restricted weight limits. It also did not meet current seismic, safety, or roadway design standards.

King County Executive Ron Sims speaks at the ceremony for the opening of the new Tolt Bridge.

The new bridge addresses all those problems. It is approximately 1,000 feet long, and consists of two 300-foot steel trussed spans, a short approach span on the west side, and three 120-foot concrete girder spans on the east side of the river. The new Tolt Bridge has the longest single span (300 feet) in the county’s 185-bridge inventory.

It was built in ways that both protect and enhance the environment. One truss span lifts it above the surrounding wetlands, and the other truss span eliminates the need to place bridge supports in the Snoqualmie River. During construction, techniques were used to protect river habitat and juvenile fish. As part of the bridge project, the county opened up an old, narrow culvert to support fish passage in a tributary on the southeast side of the new bridge.

The county also wanted to make the appearance of the bridge fit into its rural surroundings. Working with the community, the Roads Services Division came up with a design for the new bridge that reflects the old bridge’s historic appearance.

Over the next two months, the old bridge will be demolished and the riverbank restored with native vegetation. But, parts of the old Tolt Bridge may be resurrected as a gateway at a local park.

Transit ridership up nationwide Metro riders at the Bellevue Transit Center. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced this week that people took 2.6 billion trips on public transportation in the United States during the first three months of 2008. It is almost 85 million more trips than the same time period last year. King County Metro Transit was right up there at the top of the pack for large bus agencies, with a 6.2 percent increase in bus ridership for the first quarter and an additional 3.8 percent increase on electric trolley buses (APTA counts these two transit modes separately). Nationally, in the first quarter of 2008, public transportation use continued to climb and rose by 3.3 percent over 2007 levels. In contrast, the Federal Highway Administration has reported that the vehicle miles traveled on our nation’s roads declined by 2.3 percent in the first quarter.

TRAFFIC WATCH: Afternoon baseball on Wednesday The Seattle Mariners host the Angels for an early afternoon game this Wednesday, June 4 at 1:40 p.m. Depending on when the game ends, afternoon commute traffic in the south end of downtown Seattle could be disrupted or congested, which could delay bus travel through the area. Regular commuters may want to adjust their work schedules to leave town earlier that day, or avoid the area around the stadium. For those going to the game, Metro Transit offers lots of regular service that travels near Safeco Field in the mid-afternoon. After the game is over, avoid the congestion, by taking regular bus service home. There is no special shuttle service either before or after the day games. Check Metro Online for more information, or call (206) 553-3000 (voice) or (206) 684-1739 (TTY).

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