Ballard Bridge

The Ballard Bridge, also known as the 15th Avenue Bridge, is a double-leaf bascule bridge in Seattle, Washington. It carries 15th Avenue NW over Seattle's Salmon Bay between Ballard to the north and Interbay to the south. The Ballard Bridge follows the Fremont Bridge in the east in the succession of bridges spanning the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which connects Lake Washington in the east to Puget Sound in the west.

Ballard Bridge
The Ballard Bridge seen from the
Seattle Maritime Academy
Coordinates47°39′34″N 122°22′34″W
Carries15th Avenue NW
CrossesSalmon Bay
LocaleSeattle
Other name(s)15th Avenue Bridge
Maintained bySeattle Department of Transportation
Heritage statusNRHP
Characteristics
Total length2,854 ft (870 m)
Longest span218 ft (66 m)
History
ArchitectA.H. Dimock
Construction end1917
Rebuilt1939
Ballard Bridge
Ballard Bridge in the process of opening (or closing)
LocationSeattle, Washington
Coordinates47°39′34″N 122°22′34″W
Built1917
MPSHistoric Bridges/Tunnels in Washington State TR
NRHP reference No.82004231[1]
Added to NRHPJuly 16, 1982
Location

Built in 1917, it has an opening span of 218 ft (66 m) and a total length of 2,854 ft (870 m).[2] The approaches of the bridge were originally timber trestles.[3] It also carried a streetcar. In 1939, the timber approach spans of the Ballard Bridge were replaced as a Public Works Administration project. The deck was surfaced with concrete and the rails for the streetcar were removed.[4] In 1982, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[1][5]

In recent years bicyclists have complained that improvements are needed to address safety concerns.[6][7]

  • Ballard Bridge under construction, 1916
    Ballard Bridge under construction, 1916
  • The bridge, up
    The bridge, up
  • The bridge, down
    The bridge, down

Notes
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. Seattle Department of Transportation. "Ballard Bridge". Bridges and Roadway Structures. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
  3. "Ballard Bridge (Seattle)". historylink.org. April 4, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  4. Alaskan Way Viaduct/Reconstruction of the Ballard Bridge (16 mm). City of Seattle. 1940. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  5. Dorpat, Paul (August 12, 2001). "A Bridge Loses Track". Pacific Northwest Magazine. The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
  6. Pulkkinen, Levi; Gutierrez, Scott (29 July 2008). "Bicyclists say city ignores safety concerns; Riding with danger every day". Seattle P-I. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
  7. Cat Le, Phuong; Lange, Larry (April 14, 2006). "Bicyclists face rough ride in region; Cycling club finds gaps in some area bike routes". Seattle P-I. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
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