The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has announced that construction is set to begin on a new floating bridge that will be connected to Route 520, according to Komo News.
The massive three-year project has been talked about for some time, but the actual construction is finally expected to start this week. Barges will be placed along Lake Washington so that the construction crews can move in with cranes and get the first part of the bridge built.
The new bridge will connect the north side of Seattle with nearby Bellevue on the other side of the lake.
"It's really being built separately, just north of the existing bridge," said WSDOT's Mike Cotton. "We don't have to do a lot of lane closures. We don't have a lot of weekend closures to build what is needed."
WSDOT awarded the project to Kiewit/General/Mason (KGM), with the project totaling $586.5 million. The new floating bridge is expected to be open to traffic by the end of 2014.
The new two-mile long bridge will have six lanes of traffic, along with areas for bikers and walkers. The pedestrian areas will jut out away from the road so that those crossing can stop and admire the view.
Contractors that hope to be awarded a large project, such as a bridge, will need to ensure they have the right equipment for the job. The auction site IronPlanet can be a great way for construction companies to find affordable used cranes and other pieces of equipment.
