Overview
The SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program will enhance safety by replacing the aging floating bridge and keep the region moving with vital transit and roadway improvements throughout the corridor.
The 12.8-mile program area begins at I-5 in Seattle and extends to SR 202 in Redmond.
There are four projects in the SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program:
View a narrated slideshow (Windows Media Player) that provides an overview of the SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program.
Why is WSDOT
pursuing this program?
SR 520 is one of two east-west roadways across Lake Washington. Approximately 115,000 vehicles carrying 155,000 people travel the SR 520 Evergreen Point Bridge every day.
Built in the 1960s without the benefit of today's design standards, the Evergreen Point Bridge and the Portage Bay Bridge are vulnerable to windstorms and earthquakes and are at risk of collapse if they are not replaced.
A collapse of these bridges or their approach structures could cause serious injury or loss of life, and would overwhelm all major regional highways with re-routed traffic.
The End Result
WSDOT crews will replace the existing bridge with a new, safer bridge designed to withstand earthquakes and windstorms and the entire corridor with two general-purpose lanes and one HOV lane in each direction.
Project Benefits
The new SR 520 corridor will move more people across Lake Washington to and from work, school, home, and recreation.
Reliability and mobility will be improved with:
- Two general-purpose lanes and one continuous HOV lane in each direction.
- Rebuilt overpasses and on- and off-ramps throughout the program area will improve traffic flow.
- New, wider shoulders, allowing disabled vehicles a place to pull out of traffic.
- More commuting options with a bicycle/pedestrian path.
What is the project timeline?
- 2009 - Begin innovative pontoon construction testing effort.
- 2009 - Advertise design-build contract for the Pontoon Construction Project.
- 2010 - Begin pontoon construction at an existing facility.
- 2010 - Begin new pontoon site construction in Grays Harbor.
- 2010 - Begin construction on the Eastside.*
- 2012 - Begin construction of new floating bridge.
- 2014 - Open four-lane bridge to drivers.
- 2016 - Open six-lane bridge to drivers.*
More information is available on the Timeline page.
* Assumes full project funding.
Financial Information
The Washington State Legislature has secured a variety of state and federal funding sources, including tolling the existing floating bridge beginning in 2010, to help pay for the SR 520 program:
| Funding source |
Amount |
| State gas tax |
$552 million |
| Federal funds |
$242 million |
| SR 520 Account (tolling and future federal funding) |
$1,200 million |
| Total funded |
$1,994 million |
| Unfunded |
$2,656 million |
| Total program |
$4,650 million |
Figures above include sales tax deferral.
Visit our
Costs, Funding and Tolling page for more information.
How can I get more information?
Contact:
E-mail: SR520bridge@wsdot.wa.gov
Phone: 206-770-3500
Infoline: 1-888-520-NEWS (6397)
Mail: SR 520 Bridge Replacement
and HOV Program
Plaza 600 Building
600 Stewart Street, Suite 520
Seattle, WA 98101
For comments and questions about the project, to schedule a community briefing, or to be added to the mailing or e-mail list, please fill out our contact form.
Current SR 520 Bridge Traffic, Wind, Weather & Marine Stats
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