A pedestrian bridge designed to resemble salmon bones reopened last week in West Seattle’s Delridge neighborhood following completion of restoration work aimed at extending its lifespan by decades.
The distinctive rusty-red bridge crosses Longfellow Creek south of the Dragonfly Garden and Pavilion. The waterway supports coho and chum salmon populations that have historically struggled to migrate upstream due to development and pollution impacts.
Recent restoration efforts have shown results, with Puget Soundkeeper Alliance reporting nearly double the number of observed salmon between fall 2023 and 2024 surveys. Over 620 coho salmon were counted last year during a spawning season that peaked in mid-November.
The bridge closed August 8 for the restoration project’s second phase, which Seattle Public Utilities split into two parts to accommodate state Department of Fish and Wildlife windows for in-water work during fish migration periods. The first phase occurred last summer.
This year’s work included replacing safety cables, stripping and repainting the metal “bone” structures overhead, and planting two trees. An SPU spokesperson confirmed the bridge was “always structurally safe” but the deck had deteriorated.
Last year’s first phase replaced the bridge’s original recycled cedar decking, arranged in herringbone pattern, with steel treated to develop a protective patina resembling wood. The new decking has an expected lifespan of 50 to 100 or more years.
Workers also installed kick plates on the decking’s outer edges to serve as guardrails for visually impaired pedestrians.
“The restored bridge preserves the artist’s original design,” according to Seattle Public Utilities, “but is more durable, accessible, safer, and requires less maintenance.”
The unique architectural design celebrates the creek’s salmon populations while providing pedestrian access across the waterway. Sunday evening visitors stopped to let dogs run on the grassy hillside above the bridge while birds chirped and water flowed below.
The restoration project demonstrates Seattle’s efforts to maintain distinctive public infrastructure while improving accessibility and extending service life through modern materials and techniques.
