EVERETT & MARYSVILLE June 4: When you are nearly 100 years old, the time will come for a complete makeover. That is the case for the northbound bridge of SR 529 across the Snohomish River. Delayed by a week due to wet weather, on June 9, the northbound bridge will close for four months, causing one lane in each direction on the current southbound bridge.
The northbound bridge originally opened for two-way traffic in 1927 when US 99 was rerouted to cross the Snohomish River and flats for the first time. Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) contract crews plan to give the 97-year-old structure a complete rehabilitation and paint job, targeting an early October reopening on the refreshed span barring any further wet weather delays.
The key work to be completed is the system that raises and lowers the left span so larger vessels on the river can pass underneath. While that lift system is being addressed, the bridge will also be thoroughly cleaned and repainted.
WSDOT Project Engineer Amelia Scharrer said, “To complete this work, we must leave the northbound bridge in the raised position. Federal maritime law requires us to maintain access for boats on the Snohomish River. Because we will not be able to move the bridge’s draw span while work is happening, we have to leave it in the up position during this work.”
On Saturday night June 8, SR 529 will close in both directions overnight so crews can complete the crossovers to shift one lane of northbound traffic onto the southbound bridge deck and return traffic onto the northbound roadway past the bridge. Today, around 35,000 vehicles use SR 529 along this stretch of highway each day.
In the reconfigured two-way traffic across the current southbound bridge, pylons will separate the lanes and the speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph.
“Reducing travel in each direction from two lanes to one is going to mean more congestion and increased travel time. While I-5 already has a lot of traffic, people still should consider using the freeway when traveling between Everett and Marysville,” Scharrer said.
For those who walk or cycle, using either bridge direction will not be an option. The southbound bridge deck will have narrow lanes of only 11 feet with no shoulder. So, arrangements have been made for a 24-hour a-day on-demand shuttle to move people through the work zone. That shuttle vehicle may take up to 30 minutes to arrive. The southern pick-up/drop-off point will be located at Broadway and 7th Street in Everett, while the northern pick-up/drop-off spot will be located north of Steamboat Slough at 40th Place NE and 37th Ave NE.
Starting Sunday, June 9, SR 529 across the Snohomish River will be reduced to one lane in each direction crossing solely on the current southbound bridge. Travel delays are likely, particularly during commute hours and peak weekend travel periods. Interstate 5 is also going through a widening construction phase across the Snohomish Flats with periods of slower traffic yet remains a good alternative to SR 529 crossing the Snohomish River.
By October, SR 529 should be back to full two lanes in both directions across the river with a northbound bridge complete makeover that should extend the life of the bridge well into its next 100 years.
