Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge

Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge

The two spans of the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge (left) and the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge (right), looking east toward Mercer Island
Carries I‑90, westbound and reversible lanes
Crosses Lake Washington, Washington
Locale Seattle, Washington, United States
Maintained by Washington State Department of Transportation
Characteristics
Design Pontoon bridge
Total length 5,811 ft (1,771 m)
History
Opened June 4, 1989

The Third Lake Washington Bridge, officially the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge, is one of the Interstate 90 floating bridges. It is the fifth-longest floating bridge in the world, at 5,811 feet (1772 m). It carries the westbound and reversible lanes of Interstate 90 across Lake Washington between Mercer Island, Washington, and Seattle, Washington.

History

The bridge was built in 1989 and is named for Homer More Hadley, who designed the bridge's companion span, the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge. Hadley also designed the McMillin Bridge in Pierce County.[1]

When the bridge was built, parallel to the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge, two reversible high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes were set up to accommodate the traffic flow between Seattle and the suburban Eastside (westbound in the morning, eastbound in the evenings).

Currently, Sound Transit and the Washington State Department of Transportation are relocating HOV lanes from the reversible express lanes to the eastbound and westbound lanes of Interstate 90. This move is necessary to accommodate the East Link light-rail line (under construction) from downtown Seattle to Bellevue and Redmond, Washington. East Link, scheduled for full completion in 2020, will be the first time that a light-rail line will operate on a floating bridge.[2]

Usage

Looking west toward Seattle, Washington

The bridge includes two reversible lanes, which normally carry westbound traffic on weekday mornings and eastbound traffic at other times. Use of the reversible express lanes is restricted to HOV traffic, except for vehicles traveling to and from Mercer Island.

With a total of five traffic lanes and three full-sized shoulders, the Third Lake Washington Bridge is the widest floating bridge in the world.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Todd Matthews (November 16, 2012), "Fearing its demolition, preservationists nominate McMillin Bridge to Pierce County's historic register", Tacoma Daily Index
  2. ↑ http://www.soundtransit.org/x3245.xml
  3. ↑ "Uniquely Northwest: Washington State is home to many of world's amazing floating bridges" (PDF). Hood Canal Bridge News. Washington State Department of Transportation. Summer 2003. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2006. Retrieved July 24, 2015.

Coordinates: 47°35′23″N 122°16′10″W / 47.589841°N 122.269421°W / 47.589841; -122.269421

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