South Park Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids South Park Bridge |
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South Park Bridge in 2015
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| Crosses | Duwamish River |
| Locale | South Park, Seattle, Washington |
| Maintained by | King County, Washington |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Double-leaf bascule |
| Total length | 1,285 feet (392 m) |
| Longest span | Bascule span: 190 feet (58 m) (two 95-foot leaves) |
| History | |
| Construction begin | 1929 |
| Opened | 1931 |
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14th Avenue South Bridge
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| Location | Spans Duwamish River, Seattle, Washington |
| Built | 1931 (bascule section replaced in 2013) |
| Architectural style | Scherzer Rolling Lift Bascule |
| MPS | Historic Bridges/Tunnels in Washington State TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004228 |
| Added to NRHP | July 16, 1982 |
The South Park Bridge is a special kind of bridge in Seattle, Washington, United States. It's also known as the 14th/16th Avenue South Bridge. This bridge is a double-leaf bascule bridge, which means it has two parts that can lift up to let boats pass underneath. It uses a design called a Scherzer rolling lift system.
The bridge crosses the Duwamish River near Boeing Field. It connects to the South Park neighborhood in Seattle. The government of King County is in charge of keeping the bridge working. In 1982, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places because of its importance.
The first version of the bridge was built between 1929 and 1931. Before it closed for repairs in 2010, about 20,000 cars used it every day. It was a very important road for getting to the main shops in South Park. Because of safety worries, the bridge closed on June 30, 2010. The parts that lifted up were taken away in August 2010.
County leaders found money to fix the bridge. Work to replace the lifting parts started in May 2011. The bridge opened again to traffic on June 30, 2014. It still looked much like the original bridge, but with new, safer lifting sections.
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Why Was the Bridge Replaced?
The original South Park Bridge was already getting old and worn out. It became even more damaged by an earthquake in 2001 called the Nisqually earthquake. After the earthquake, inspectors checked the bridge.
Safety Concerns and Low Scores
In 2002, experts gave the bridge a very low safety score. On a scale of 100, it scored only 6. Later, its score dropped even lower to 4. This low score meant the bridge was not very safe for cars to use.
Finding Money for a New Bridge
Building a new bridge costs a lot of money. King County, the state, and the federal government needed to find funds for the project. Plans for a new bridge were ready, but they didn't get a big federal grant of $99 million in early 2010.
Because there wasn't enough money, the South Park Bridge kept operating even though it was in bad shape. Finally, it had to close on June 30, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
The Bridge Gets Taken Apart
Even though the future of a new bridge was still unclear, parts of the old bridge began to be removed. In late August 2010, the lifting sections were taken down.
New Funding and Rebuilding Begins
In August 2010, King County asked for another $36.2 million from a federal program. On October 15, 2010, good news arrived! The South Park Bridge was given $34 million. This money helped fill the gap and allowed the rebuilding to start.
Work on the new bridge began in May 2011. A special event was held on June 29, 2014, to celebrate the new bridge. It officially opened for cars the next day, June 30, 2014.
Images for kids
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South Park Bridge in 2015
