W. Emerson St. overpass to close for repairs October 8th through…wait for it…JANUARY

Are you ready? SDOT is starting a major project that will affect nearly all Magnolians.  Some residents received this letter in the mail:

Here is a complete description of the project from SDOT:

The W Emerson Street overpass connects Magnolia and the Fishermen’s Terminal with W Nickerson Street and north Queen Anne over 15th Avenue W. This overpass, on the south side of the Ballard Bridge, is the lowest structure on the 15th Avenue truck route. Since the overpass was built in 1959 the northern girder has suffered some damage from passing over-height loads.

SDOT has decided to combine the replacement of this girder, which will require demolishing the northern side of the overpass, with the renewal of the road surface on top of the road deck. This resurfacing (with a 1.5 inch thick layer of concrete) will protect the existing road structure from future corrosion as well as provide an even driving surface for the portion of the overpass that must be replaced.

The project will require both a long-term closure of the overpass (beginning October 9) and a short-term closure of 15th Avenue W underneath the overpass.

At 8 PM on the night of Saturday October 11 both north- and southbound traffic on 15th Ave W will be detoured to the west using W Emerson Place, Gilman Drive W, 20th Avenue W and W Dravus Street.

Between 8 PM and 9 AM the next morning, the contractor will break apart and remove the northern edge of the overpass and the damaged girder.

15th Avenue W will be reopened to traffic Sunday morning, once the demolition is complete and the protection placed for the road below has been removed. The next night, October 12, new bearing pads and a replacement girder will be installed, with 15th Avenue W reopened before traffic resumes Monday morning.

The repair work will also require the complete closure of the W Emerson Street overpass to all traffic (including pedestrians) beginning on October 9, 2014. This closure will last through the duration of the work, approximately 12 weeks. The detour for west-bound vehicular traffic on W Nickerson Street will be a double crossing of the Ballard Bridge (using Leary Way NW for the turnaround) to reach W Emerson Street.

The detour for east-bound vehicular traffic on W Emerson Street will be turning south on 15th Avenue W and using W Dravus Street as the turn-around for accessing the W Nickerson Street exit from northbound 15th Avenue W.

Pedestrian and bicycle traffic will need to use the Ship Canal Trail (which connect 13th Avenue W with 16th Avenue W) to cross 15th Avenue W north of W Dravus Street.

 

The total estimated project cost is $5M, which includes engineering, structural design, and the construction. Questions? Contact Art Brochet, Public Information Officer, art.brochet@seattle.gov, 206-615-0786