SR 16 - New Tacoma Narrows Bridge

	Click image to enlarge The construction area for this project extends from Jackson Avenue in Tacoma to 36th Street NW in Gig Harbor.
	Our 'Parallel' Future Imagine a twin bridge just 185 feet south of the 1950 span. This virtual view is a preview of the parallel bridge to that is scheduled to open in summer 2007. Rendering of twin bridges is courtesy of Tacoma Narrows Constructors
	Project Facts • New bridge deck is 5,400 feet in total length, 2,800 in the main span. • Towers and caissons designed for second deck (either road or light rail) to be added in the future. •     New concrete towers 510 feet high (8,000 cubic yards of concrete each).

May 9, 2008 February 2008 Monthly Project Report Sweet symmetry: 1950 Narrows gets fourth lane TNB Tolls Open House New permanent Bicycle/Pedestrian Route now open. Low Violation Rate for TNB Tolls Check out pictures of the opening day event.

Overview
After seven years in early development, the political arena and the courts, and another five years in design and construction, the new Narrows bridge opened to traffic on July 16, 2007. It was built parallel to and south of the 1950 Narrows Bridge, and carries four 11-foot-wide lanes of eastbound traffic toward Tacoma. The left lane is a high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lane, the two center lanes are general purpose lanes open to all traffic, and the right lane is an "add/drop" lane that extends across the bridge to the Jackson Avenue eastbound exit. In addition, the bridge has a 10-foot right shoulder for disabled vehicles, and a 10-foot barrier-separated bicycle/pedestrian lane .

Crews are now working on the 1950 bridge, where they have resurfaced all four lanes and have begun a 10-month process to upgrade bridge rail. The opening of the new bridge separates opposing traffic for the first time over the Narrows. It also signals the onset of tolling in western Washington since the Hood Canal bridge toll was removed in 1985.

Why did WSDOT build another Tacoma Narrows Bridge?
The short answer is that the second bridge and related roadway work improves the ability of people and freight to move more reliably and safely within the corridor. When the new bridge opened to traffic, the several hours of daily congestion experienced for years by SR 16 motorists completely dissipated in both the eastbound and westbound directions. WSDOT had anticipated that with the onset of tolls, we would see a 15% decrease in the almost 90,000 daily trips across both bridges each day. That drop in traffic volumes has not occurred, and traffic is flowing at highway speeds. However, traffic volumes are expected to increase over time, and when and if it becomes necessary, the new bridge is designed to accommodate a second deck.

Project Benefits

• Safety - Separating oncoming traffic significantly improves safety across the Tacoma Narrows. Additional safety improvements include wider lanes and a right safety shoulder for eastbound traffic.
• Congestion - The operational improvements along the SR 16 corridor between the Nalley Valley viaduct in Tacoma and the Olympic Drive interchange in Gig Harbor will help reduce delays across the Tacoma Narrows.

Environmental Protection
An environmental impact statement has been prepared and is available at local libraries. Some of the more important environmental improvements addressed by the project include:

• Relocating the existing Living War Memorial Park
• Providing new and improved storm water collection facilities
• Removing creosote pilings from Titlow Beach
• Recreating and protecting existing wetlands
• Developing and monitoring a new deep-water environment for bottom fish

For more information visit WSDOT Environmental Services.

Increasing safety is one of our priorities
This project significantly increases safety along the SR 16 corridor by separating oncoming traffic, adding a safety shoulder and providing a barrier-separated bicycle/pedestrian path across the new bridge. The new bike/ped path will open to users later this year. In the meantime, it is being used by contractor Tacoma Narrows Constructors as a staging area for equipment and construction workers still doing work under the new bridge's deck.

Will this project impact tribal lands?
At WSDOT we seek to address the concerns of the tribal nations using the process outlined in Section 106 of The National Historic Preservation Act and the WSDOT Tribal Consultation Policy adopted in 2003 by the Transportation Commission as part of the WSDOT Centennial Accord Plan.

The Puyallup, Muckleshoot, Squaxin Island, Nisqually, Skokomish and Suquamish Indian Tribes were consulted concerning the cultural resource issues for the Environmental Impact Statement and the Unanticipated Discovery Plan.

For more information visit our WSDOT Tribal Liaison website.

Financial Information
This project started construction in 2002. Its current overall cost estimate is $849 million.

WSDOT is authorized to finance up to $800 million in tax-exempt bonds to support the Tacoma Narrows Bridge project. However, it is likely that less than the full amount will be necessary, since the project is projected to come in under budget. The state funded $50 million for the project and provided certain tax exemptions and tax deferrals that help to reduce the project costs.

To pay the cost of bond debt, as well as bridge operations and maintenance, tolls started being collected on July 16, 2007. Current projections indicate that tolls will collected through 2030, when the debt will be retired. The Washington State Transportation Commission set the initial toll rates at $3.00 for manual toll lanes and $1.75 for Good to Go! ™ customers using electronic toll collection. These toll rates will be in effect through June 2008. The Commission will be evaluating actual traffic and revenue data to determine if these rates can continue beyond that date or need to be adjusted to meet financial obligations.

Expenditure Plan
This project is funded through the following sources:
Existing Funds - $771,408,998*
Total Funding Available From All Sources - $771,408,998
(* - Includes $11 million expended for right of way acquisition and existing bridge inspections prior to the 2002 legislative authorization changing the project from private financing to public funding.

How can I get more information?
Contact:
WSDOT Tacoma Narrows Bridge Project Office
3214 50th Street Court NW
Building D, Suite 302
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
Phone: toll-free 1-877-762-7769
E-mail: orfeedback@wsdot.wa.gov

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