SEATTLE (AP) — More than 14,000 times per year, the Seattle Department of Transportation safely raises and lowers its drawbridges. That’s even though three of them are 100 years old. This requires constant maintenance work to serve a city that lacks the money and plans to replace its old bridges. Transportation officials have identified about $7.8 million of urgent projects to keep the Ballard, Fremont and University steel-deck bridges, and the Spokane Street swing bridge, reliable for marine openings. Seattle City Council members have been reluctant to pour large amounts of money into bridge preservation, favoring other transportation services and safety work.
Transportation officials say $7.8M needed to fix drawbridges
