Expect traffic jams as Fairview Avenue bridge closes for 18-month rebuild

SEATTLE -- Traffic may be bumper to bumper Monday morning for those who use the Fairview Avenue bridge in Seattle. The bridge will be closed and under construction near the intersection of Fairview and Eastlake Ave for about 18 months.

“While this bridge is safe to travel on, it has reached the end of its useful life and we need to replace and rebuild the bridge,” said Adonis Ducksworth with Seattle Department of Transportation.

Traffic surrounding Lake Union is going to be a bit more congested starting Monday morning. The 65-year old Fairview Avenue bridge near Eastlake Ave is getting a $27 million seismic upgrade.

“I think we were warned about three months ago, but we have this event annually and started planning a year ago. So, there’s not much we can do to change any of it,” said Josh Anderson, Operations Manager for The Center for Wooden Boats.

The Center for Wooden Boats, at the corner of Fairview and Valley Street, says it’s expecting about 10,000 people for its annual Wooden Boat Fest this coming weekend. Anderson says parking is already limited, so people planning to drive to the center should consider another way to commute.

“Basically we just encourage them to take public transportation, just let them know what’s going. I mean being down in this area, traffic is already hard. The bridge closure definitely doesn’t help any of that,” Anderson said.

The Seattle Department of Transportation says the bridge is expected to reopen in Spring 2021. That means traffic on major fairways like Mercer Street and Westlake could also be affected. But when the bridge is completed, a new wider street will create space for people to drive, walk, bike, and get to transit.

The new bridge design will also have three lanes for cars and buses. But in the meantime, drivers Monday morning can expect some delay in their commute if they use the Fairview Avenue bridge.