Emergency repairs on the First Avenue South Bridge will stretch through late Friday after inspectors discovered structural damage more severe than initially assessed, extending a closure that has forced 48,000 daily commuters to find alternate routes since Monday morning.
The Washington State Department of Transportation said crews will now work through 11:59 p.m. Friday to complete temporary emergency repairs that were originally scheduled to end Wednesday night. Workers are modifying existing grated panels and installing steel plates over cracked sections to restore safe vehicle access across all northbound lanes on State Route 99.
The most challenging work involves realigning where the bridge’s two spans meet, a junction that bears some of the highest mechanical stress as vehicles cross. WSDOT described the process as “very precise and methodical” because even minor adjustments affect how smoothly the transition functions and how much strain concentrates at the joint. Getting the alignment wrong could accelerate future deterioration or create safety hazards for drivers.
The current effort represents only immediate stabilization to get traffic moving again before more comprehensive work begins. WSDOT plans a second phase in mid-to-late April when contractor crews will replace the panels in worst condition ahead of summer travel season. A third phase scheduled for 2027 will completely replace the northbound bridge deck, suggesting the structure’s problems run deeper than surface damage.
WSDOT said the bridge received a “fair” rating during its most recent full inspection, raising questions about how rapidly the condition deteriorated or whether warning signs were present but not flagged as urgent. The agency has not explained what specifically prompted the emergency closure or why initial assessments underestimated the scope of necessary repairs.
The extended shutdown compounds traffic headaches for Seattle-area commuters already navigating construction slowdowns on Interstate 5 and increased congestion from Microsoft’s return-to-office mandate that brought thousands of remote workers back to daily commutes. The bridge connects West Seattle to downtown and serves as a critical alternative to I-5 for northbound traffic from South King County. With roughly 48,000 vehicles using the span daily, the closure forces tens of thousands to divert onto already congested routes.
WSDOT encouraged drivers to allow extra time and consider alternate routes while crews complete emergency work. The agency has not said whether it will impose speed restrictions or other limitations when the bridge reopens, though previous statements indicated a temporary 25 mph limit was planned following repairs to allow engineers to monitor performance under traffic loads.
