West Seattle Bridge re-opening has residents ready for resurgence

SEATTLES — Editor’s Note: The above video of the West Seattle Bridge passing its latest safety test originally aired on September 15, 2022.

West Seattle residents have been eagerly awaiting the reopening of the West Seattle Bridge after it was closed for the past two years. SDOT finally announced the bridge’s reopening late Saturday night.

Otter on the Rocks, a new cocktail bar in West Seattle, opened its doors almost seven months ago. Despite opening while West Seattle felt somewhat isolated, business has been strong.

“We’re fortunate to be in West Seattle, it’s a great community that loves to support local businesses so business is good,” said Bronco Penhale, who has worked there since it opened.

Now the establishment is poised to welcome so-called “mainlanders” back to West Seattle.

“Excited to be reconnected, and I think West Seattle people want to go there and let people come back here and be more connected to everyone,” Penhale said.

The bridge was first closed in March 2020 after inspectors found cracks had been spreading in its support structure. The bridge is historically a busy road, used by more than 100,000 vehicles and 25,000 passengers daily before the closure.

“I’m going to try to experience the new bridge for the first time,” said Abdel Fattah Elmakkawy, who moved to West Seattle a year ago.

West Seattleites are definitely ready for an easier commute.

“We will not miss the West Marginal Way. This is the longest route you can take. It can take almost an hour or more to get to Kent,” Hawa Ali said.

Others are happy about fewer traffic jams.

“I don’t commute, so it hasn’t affected me personally, but it’s certainly indirectly affecting all of us because of the increase in traffic on the alternate routes and in the neighborhood,” said Vineet Waahi, who lives in West Seattle.

The West Seattle Bridge passed its final safety test this week, and according to SDOT, the bridge is now strong and secure with nearly 60 miles of steel cable backbone, 100,000 square feet of carbon fiber wrap and 240 gallons of epoxy filling cracks.

“I expect there will be a lot of cheers, roars and cheers when it finally opens and people can walk across the bridge,” Waahi said.

Waahi said it’s a great time for people who don’t live in West Seattle to come back and rediscover what’s great about it.

SDOT finally announced the reopening the bridge just after 9 p.m. on Saturday evening.

SDOT said it is confident the repaired bridge will hold up and live up to its original lifespan for decades to come.