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SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Project - Historic Archive Gallery

WSDOT opened the Evergreen Point and Portage Bay Bridges to drivers on August 28, 1963. The bridges took three years to complete and cost Washington state a total of $21 million (in 1961 dollars) to build. Until June 1979, drivers paid a 35 cent toll, in each direction, to cross the 1.4-mile floating bridge. These photos are provided courtesy of the Museum of History and Industry.

There are 18 photos in this photo gallery.

Historic Photos

 A grand view of Husky Stadium with the SR 520 bridges in the background.  Waves crash against the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge during a storm.  The SR 520 Bridges and Lake Washington Boulevard ramps.  An aerial photograph of the SR 520 Evergreen Point Bridge taken in 1970.  A motorist drives eastbound over the floating bridge on a stormy day.
Husky
Stadium
1968		 Stormy
Weather
1971		 SR 520
Ramps
1963		 Madison
Park
1970		 Car on Bridge
1971
 A 1964 view of I-5, SR 520, Eastlake and Roanoke areas.  The Eastside toll plaza and Medina as seen from the air, looking west.  Boats of all sizes gather in Portage Bay on opening day of boating season.  Looking east over the University of Washington (left), Montlake area and SR 520 corridor.  1962 UW varsity crew practice on Portage Bay with the brand new SR 520 Bridge under construction in the background.
I-5 and
SR 520
1964		 Medina
1964		 Portage Bay
1965		 UW and
Montlake
1969		 UW Crew
1962


Historic Construction Photos

 The early stages of pontoon construction for the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge.  Construction crews build a concrete pontoon for the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge on a spring day.  The SR 520 corridor between the Portage Bay and Evergreen Point Bridges, under construction.  A barge is centered on Lake Washington in the same location as the future floating bridge.  Aerial view of the eastern high-rise of the bridge.
Pontoon
Frame
Construction
1961		 Pontoon
Mold
1961		 Roanoke
Expressway
1963		 Barge
on Lake
1963		 East
High-Rise
1963
 Crews take a break next to the Evergreen Point Bridge under construction.  Workers construct metal truss framing on the western high-rise.  Construction of the Evergreen Point Bridge as seen from the air, facing east.
Construction
Crew Break
1962		 West
High-Rise
1963		 Union Bay
1963


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