BRIDGES: S.R. 520 floating bridge back open after a weekend of demolition, maintenance

The S.R. 520 floating bridge reopened on July 16, capping off a weekend of inspections, maintenance work and major construction.

The reopening was delayed by approximately 90 minutes in both directions of the highway because it took longer than expected to reset concrete safety barrier near 84^th Avenue Northeast, where crews demolished an overpass this weekend.

While contractor crews worked on Eastside improvements, maintenance crews focused on the annual inspection of the floating bridge.

“This weekend’s inspections and maintenance will help make sure the bridge is ready for another wet and windy winter,” said Archie Allen, bridge maintenance superintendent for the Washington State Department of Transportation. “We’ll spend the next few months repairing any other wear and tear discovered during the closure.”

During the weekend closure, demolition crews tore down the old 84th Avenue Northeast overpass to make way for a new lidded overpass and removed the last standing piece of the 92nd Avenue Northeast overpass. A crane positioned on the highway through the weekend set more than 200 concrete panels for a new Evergreen Point Road lidded overpass.

So far, crews have demolished just over three old overpasses across S.R. 520. The next full closure for Eastside construction is scheduled for Aug. 10 to 13.

The overpass demolition is part of a project to widen the highway to six lanes on the Eastside, add transit stops in the median and improve neighborhood connections across S.R. 520. The completed Medina to Bellevue corridor is scheduled to open to traffic in December 2013. More information about the S.R. 520 Eastside project is online at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR520Bridge/MedinaTo202.