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City, State and Community Leaders Celebrate Start of Construction of Northgate Bridge

Project Will Connect Licton Springs and North Seattle College to Future Northgate Link Light Rail station

SEATTLE (February 5, 2020) – Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan and Councilmember Debora Juarez hosted a groundbreaking celebration to mark the start of construction on the Northgate Pedestrian and Bike Bridge over Interstate 5. They were joined by other civic leaders, transportation agency partners, and community organizations who have supported this project.

The bridge will connect the future Northgate light rail station to North Seattle College and reconnect two communities that have been divided by I-5 for nearly 60 years. The bridge will improve walking and biking access to the future Link light rail station and will help connect the neighborhood’s job and retail centers with the rest of the city and region. Construction is expected to be complete in fall of 2021.

“Our City is under construction before our eyes and investments like light rail will be transformational for North Seattle. This bridge will be an important connection between the reimagined Northgate with light rail and North Seattle College, and will provide convenient and safe routes for pedestrians and bikers,” said Mayor Durkan. “I want to thank all the community partners who have helped us make this project a reality, including Representatives Valdez and Pollet, and Senator Frockt, who along with bike and neighborhood advocates helped Seattle achieve this important milestone.”

This area of North Seattle is changing and growing rapidly. This project will connect community amenities like North Seattle College on the west side of I-5 to transit, Northgate Mall, and the future National Hockey League Ice Centre – and neighborhoods on both sides of I-5 to retail, medical, and social services.

“The Northgate Pedestrian Bike Community Bridge is another example of North Seattle’s growing vitality. This community bridge demonstrates growth with grace as we work towards density and more connectivity in our great city. Our community bridge will connect all of us to better transportation, jobs, entertainment, healthcare, and education. We couldn’t have built this amazing bridge without the support and collaboration of WSDOT, our 46th District legislators, the Mayor and the welcoming North Seattle community,” said Councilmember Debora Juarez (District 5, North Seattle).

“North Seattle College has thousands of students and staff that will benefit from the access that the Northgate Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge and the light rail will provide” said North Seattle College President Dr. Warren Brown. “Without a doubt, this project is an educational lifeline for our students.”

“When light rail opens at Northgate next year, we expect that more than 40,000 riders will board at the station daily,” said Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff.  “We were glad to invest $10 million in this bridge, because we want to make access to Link light rail as convenient and safe as possible for everyone – students, neighbors, pedestrians and bike riders.”

The Northgate Pedestrian and Bike Bridge Project is funded by the voter-approved Move Seattle Levy, Sound Transit, Washington State, and additional local sources. Throughout design, the project benefited from the involvement of nearby residents and businesses, North Seattle College, and bike and pedestrian advocates.

“Your 46th District legislators have supported and provided state investment in the Northgate Pedestrian and Bike Bridge to sew our community together. We look forward to students and residents relying on state employment or other services being able to quickly walk from light rail to North Seattle College and our State’s Opportunity Center,” said Senator David Frockt, Representative Javier Valdez and Gerry Pollet.

“Cascade Bicycle Club has advocated for a bicycle and pedestrian bridge at the Northgate light rail station since 2011, so we are thrilled to see construction begin on this critical connection,” said Richard Smith, Executive Director of Cascade Bicycle Club. “We would like to thank Mayor Durkan for her support for this pedestrian and bike bridge that will help people safely navigate between Northgate and the new light rail station.”

Kraemer North America, the contractor selected to lead the work, and TranTech, the construction management team, began construction activities last month on the east side of I-5, and will be starting this month on the North Seattle College campus on the west side of I-5. Preliminary construction activities include installing drainage, clearing vegetation and preparing for drilling for the bridge shafts. The concrete bridge girders that will eventually span I-5 are being constructed off site. Drivers can expect to see some construction equipment and cranes around the project site as they pass through the area on I-5 between N 92nd St and N Northgate Way.

“This bridge will be an important nexus for people throughout Seattle” said SDOT Director Sam Zimbabwe. “It will connect to safe routes like the newly completed North Seattle Neighborhood Greenway, provide convenient access to educational and job opportunities, and rejoin two long-divided communities.”

New visual renderings of the bridge are available online: aerial view, ground view, North Seattle College walkway, artistic sketch

To learn more about the project and what to expect from bridge construction, visit www.seattle.gov/transportation/NorthgatePedBridge.