Montlake Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Montlake Bridge |
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Montlake Bridge from the west
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| Carries |  SR 513 (Montlake Boulevard) |
| Crosses | Montlake Cut |
| Locale | Seattle, Washington |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Bascule bridge |
| Total length | 344 ft (105 m) |
| Clearance below | 46 ft (14 m) |
| History | |
| Designer | Carl F. Gould |
| Opened | June 27, 1925 |
| Statistics | |
| Toll | |
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Montlake Bridge
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| Location | Spans Lake Union Ship Canal, Seattle, Washington |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1913 |
| Built by | Wallace Equipment Company (steel fabrication and erection) |
| Engineer | J.D. Blackwell, A. Munster, D.W. McMorris |
| MPS | Historic Bridges/Tunnels in Washington State TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004242 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | July 16, 1982 |
The Montlake Bridge is a special kind of bridge in Seattle, Washington. It's a "drawbridge" that can open up to let boats pass through! This bridge carries a road called State Route 513 (Montlake Boulevard) over a waterway known as the Montlake Cut. This waterway is part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which connects big lakes to Puget Sound. The bridge helps people travel between the Montlake neighborhood and the University District.
Contents
What Makes the Montlake Bridge Special?
The Montlake Bridge is a "double-leaf bascule bridge". This means it has two parts that lift up like giant seesaws. It's the bridge farthest to the east that crosses the Lake Washington Ship Canal.
Design and Features
The bridge is about 344 feet (105 meters) long. It was designed by Carl F. Gould, who also helped design buildings at the University of Washington. The bridge and its control towers look like the university buildings, matching their old-fashioned "Collegiate Gothic" style.
When closed, the bridge is about 46 feet (14 meters) above the water. This allows many boats to pass underneath without the bridge needing to open.
One of a Kind
The Montlake Bridge is one of four original drawbridges over the Ship Canal. The others are the Ballard, Fremont, and University Bridges. It was the last of these four to be finished. It also has the highest clearance, meaning it sits highest above the water. It's the only one of these bridges that is part of the state highway system.
The Montlake Bridge is also unique because of how its lifting parts (called "trunnion supports") were built. This special design helped avoid problems with a company that owned patents for similar bridge designs.
History of the Bridge
The foundations for a permanent bridge were built way back in 1914. This was part of the big project to create the Ship Canal. However, serious plans for the Montlake Bridge didn't start until 1916.
Building and Opening
The bridge was finally completed in June 1925. It opened on June 27, 1925, which was a month earlier than expected! Its opening was a big celebration, with a parade that thousands of people came to see. The city of Seattle paid about $670,000 to build it.
Traffic and How the Bridge Works
The Montlake Bridge is very busy. In the early 2000s, about 60,900 vehicles crossed it on weekdays. On weekends, around 40,000 vehicles crossed each day.
Who Uses the Bridge?
Besides cars, many people walking and bicyclists use the sidewalks on each side of the bridge.
Bridge Openings
The bridge does not open during busy morning and evening rush hours. It usually opens at specific times, like on the hour and half-hour, just before and after rush periods. At other times, it can open "on demand" if a boat needs to pass.
When the bridge opens, it takes about four minutes for traffic to stop and then start again. Most of the time, the bridge opens for sailboats. This is because most tugs (small, powerful boats) can fit under the bridge even when it's closed.
Traffic Challenges
The bridge can cause traffic jams, especially for cars going to and from State Route 520. When the bridge opens, traffic can back up for more than a mile. There have been many ideas over the years to create other routes to help with this traffic. Plans to improve SR-520 include adding a second bascule bridge right next to the current Montlake Bridge.
Historical Importance
The Montlake Bridge is famous for being the site of Seattle's "opening day" festivities for boating season. This fun event happens on the first Saturday in May each year.
The bridge and the Montlake Cut are recognized as a special "City of Seattle Designated Landmark." The bridge was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means it's considered an important historical site. The Washington State Department of Transportation owns and operates the bridge.
Gallery
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HAER description
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Gears and Machinery
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Center lock mechanism
