City of Seattle Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor

NEWS ADVISORY
SUBJECT:   Mayor Nickels Pushes Button for Transportation Improvements
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:    10/1/2002  11:42:00 AM	FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of the Mayor  (206) 684-4000

Mayor Nickels Pushes Button for
Transportation Improvements
Mayor tests new $5 million Ballard Bridge operating system

SEATTLE – Mayor Greg Nickels today went where no Seattle mayor has gone before - he pushed a button to test a new $5 million operating system at the 85-year-old Ballard Bridge. As spectators watched, the bridge rose without a hitch, a fishing vessel passed through, and the span closed quickly and efficiently, freeing street traffic to move along. The two-year project to replace the bridge’s antiquated operating system was hailed a success.

"It’s critical that the Ballard Bridge open and close efficiently, so boats can get through and motorists can get on with their commutes," said Nickels. "It makes sense to invest in a link critical to the maritime industry and to vehicles moving people and products."

Under Nickels’ 2003-2004 budget, other Seattle bridges will receive much-needed attention, as well as other transportation priorities. The 2003-2004 budget provides:

• $2.16 million to perform general maintenance on Seattle’s 142 bridges
• $3.28 million to begin work to replace Fremont Bridge approaches
• $4.7 million to begin work to replace the Magnolia Bridge
• $63,000 to complete replacement of the Princeton Bridge
• $10.6 million to pave at least 24 lane miles of roadway (more roads paved at less cost than previous years)
• $4.21 million to build 85 blocks of sidewalks in 2003-04 using very few General Fund dollars ($250,000 in 2003 - zero in 2004)

The mayor’s budget invests $295.2 million in Seattle’s transportation infrastructure in 2003 and 2004.

• The Ballard Bridge, also known as the 15^th Avenue Bridge, first opened in December 1917
• The bridge underwent a two-year, $5 million rehabilitation of its entire operating system, including:
• Installation of conduit and wiring on approaches to bridge
• Replacement of wooden beams under pedestrian walkway supports
• Improvement of stairway to the equipment area
• Enlargement of equipment room to house the new electrical systems including the SCR drives (motor controllers), computers, and the backup generators.
• New gear boxes (weighing 22,500 lbs. each) for the north and south spans
• Installation of a new back-up generator which replaces an archaic hand-operated system
• Repair of the bridge expansion joints
• Installation of a computer system that controls the entire operation all of the bridge opening functions, from bells and signals, to drawing up and lowering down of the bridge spans
• A new control console was built for the bridge operator
• Each moveable span weighs about 2 million pounds
• Each new gearbox (4 total, two in each span) weighs 22,500 pounds
• The bridge opens an average of 5,200 times a year
• Average number of vehicles crossing the bridge daily is 58,500
• Weekday averages - northbound: 29,418 southbound: 29,221

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Mayor’s Office

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