Historical Note

The Seattle Engineering Department (SED) maintained the City's streets and bridges, designed and oversaw construction of public works projects, provided traffic and transportation planning, and operated the sewer and solid waste utility. The position of City Surveyor was created in 1873 to survey the City, establish boundaries and street grades, and administer condemnation processes. This position was renamed City Engineer in 1890. In 1931, the Engineering Department absorbed part of the Department of Public Utilities, and in 1936, it assumed the responsibilities of the Department of Streets and Sewers and the Traffic Department.

In 1997, the water, solid waste, drainage, and wastewater utilities from the Engineering and Water departments were merged with the Engineering Services Division of SED and the Customer Service Call Center and Construction Engineering Sections of City Light to form Seattle Public Utilities. The traffic and transportation functions of the Engineering Department were consolidated in the Seattle Transportation Department.

Transportation from West Seattle to downtown Seattle had been problematic for decades; until the 1970s, two drawbridges were the major link between the two areas of the city. Although planning was authorized in the 1970s, the project was delayed until June 11, 1978, when the freighter Antonio Chavez struck and damaged one of the drawbridges, thereby forcing action on the issue. A state of emergency was declared, and emergency funds from the Department of Transportation and from Congress were added to existing funds for a bridge replacement.

In 1979, the City Council passed a resolution stating that the bridge damage caused "severe traffic disruption, congestion, and unsafe conditions" and approved a two-phase plan for a new West Seattle Freeway Bridge. Phase I would be a six-lane high-level bridge and Phase II would be a two-lane low-level bridge. Later in 1979, Ordinance 108643 authorized property acquisition, construction, and general obligation bonds to assist in funding the bridge's construction. The ordinance cited the importance of an improved bridge in assisting the development of the Harbor Island business area and Duwamish Industrial area. The City Council stated that the bridge design would "more effectively serve the needs of the City" by improving traffic flow, providing access to West Seattle and Harbor Island, improving safety on the bridge, and even reducing air pollution by cutting down on idling time as a result of the "uninterrupted flow of traffic." King County, the City and Port of Seattle, and the State of Washington would all contribute to bridge funding.

Construction on the West Seattle Freeway Bridge began in 1981, and the Phase I high-level bridge opened to traffic in 1984.