The shattered column under the Evergreen Point floating bridge is only one of the brittle, outdated supports that keep traffic flowing between the Eastside and Seattle. Built 40 years ago, the hollow concrete and steel pillars on the most notorious traffic choke point in the state were never meant to be hit by 1,830-ton barges. They just crumble.
Today there are no plans to build a stronger new bridge.
After more than two years of study, dozens of government officials have yet to tackle the hard work of deciding how big a new bridge would be, where it would go or how to pay for it. Reinforcing the existing pillars to make them more resistant to earthquakes is currently impossible because the state hasn't set aside any money and doesn't expect to do so for five to 10 years. The Coast Guard is investigating why the tugboat Chinook was trying to push the 70-foot barge under the bridge when the tug should have turned west before reaching the bridge. The barge was to pass through the Montlake Cut into Lake Union. The collision crippled the bridge, forcing the state to immediately close the outside eastbound lane and to make temporary repairs.