Posted on August 4, 2021
SEATTLE — A breakdown has just been released on the exemptions granted to certain people to use the West Seattle low bridge, and the information comes as the restricted access is likely to get even worse.
The low bridge is open to all drivers during the overnight hours. However, during peak travel times, drivers need special pre-authorization or they could face a $75 citation.
Scott Minaglia said his church offers people rides to medical appointments, and they checked into getting low bridge authorization.
“We have an ADA van and so we were seeing about getting an exemption for that and after looking at it, it just didn’t seem like it was going to work for us,” Minaglia said.
Of the low bridge authorized license plates approved so far, 185 West Seattle based restaurants and retail businesses were allowed up to three plates per business, totaling 358 authorized license plates. There were 539 plates given to members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Workers Local 19.
Another 53 maritime and industrial businesses qualify and have been approved for 277 authorized license plates. There are 132 people receiving life-saving medical treatment and are eligible for two plates each, totaling 202 authorized license plates. Another 329 on-call medical providers have been given low bridge access, and at two plates each, that’s another 478 authorized license plates.
“I think it should just be open for everybody,” Minaglia said.
Instead, a Port of Seattle expansion project could make low bridge access even worse. Terminal 5 is undergoing a major retrofit to better accommodate the largest container ships. The low bridge will be relied upon to handle the additional commercial truck traffic.
Terminal 5 reopens in January.. and that’s when new low bridge restrictions could start. A spokesperson with the Seattle Department of Transportation said they “are monitoring how the bridge is operating”…and “collecting input from current authorized users via a survey. This data will inform the reduction in the number of allowed trips needed to maintain the performance of the low bridge corridor when Terminal 5 reopens.”
SDOT expects to have specifics by the fall.
