In 2016, crews working for WSDOT repainted the SR 99 Aurora Avenue Bridge in Seattle.
Bridges need to be regularly cleaned and repainted to keep them in good working order and open to the traveling public. Without regular painting, bridges can corrode due to rust that develops from exposure to the elements.
SR 99 Aurora Avenue Bridge was built between 1929-1932 and is on the National Register of Historic Places and listed as a city of Seattle landmark,
Tags: SR 99 Aurora Avenue Bridge bridge painting National Register of Historic Places Seattle landmark
Construction on the SR 99 Aurora Avenue Bridge began in 1929 and was completed in 1932. Did you know?
-The bridge was the final link, in what was then called the Pacific Highway.
-It was designed by a Seattle architectural firm, Jacobs and Ober. Ralph Ober, the lead engineer, died about five months before construction was completed.
-Approximately 1500 timber piles were driven in for the anchors (the large concrete piers in the photo). The construction of the anchors required a specially-designed pile driver that could work underwater.
-From Washington, D.C. President Herbert Hoover dedicated the bridge on Feb. 22, 1932 by turning a telegraphic key which sent a signal to unfurl flags on the bridge. The bridge opened to traffic the same day.
-Its official name is George Washington Memorial Bridge.
-The bridge is 2,945 feet long and 167 feet above the water.
Tags: SR 99 Aurora Avenue Bridge bridge painting National Register of Historic Places Seattle landmark
Layers and layers of peeling paint perfectly demonstrates the problems on Seattle's SR 99 Aurora Avenue Bridge.
In 2016, contractor crews working for WSDOT removed the old paint, cleaned and repaired portions of the bridge before giving it a new coat of paint.
Bridges need to be regularly cleaned and repainted to protect them from the elements. Without this maintenance, rust builds up and eventually corrodes the steel. That could make the bridge unsafe for drivers.
Tags: SR 99 Aurora Avenue Bridge bridge painting National Register of Historic Places Seattle landmark
The original pedestrian handrail (right side of photo) on the SR99 Aurora Avenue Bridge in Seattle has seen better days. There is rust, chips and plenty of cracks.
In 2016, contractor crews working for WSDOT cleaned, repaired and gave the handrail a fresh coat of paint that will help protect it from the elements.
Tags: SR 99 Aurora Avenue Bridge bridge painting National Register of Historic Places Seattle landmark
The SR 99 Aurora Avenue Bridge in Seattle is nearly 3,000 feet long. Painting such an enormous and complex structure is best done by breaking up the project into stages.
In 2016, contractor crews painted the stringers and floor beams in stage one of the project. The stringers run the length of the bridge while the floor beams run the width of the span. The horizontal and vertical trusses, which run diagonally, will be painted in the second stage.
Bridges must be regularly cleaned, repaired and repainted to prevent corrosion. Since the bridge opened to traffic in 1932, this is the first time that every layer of the old paint has been removed, revealing the original steel.
Tags: SR 99 Aurora Avenue Bridge bridge painting National Register of Historic Places Seattle landmark