Washington State Route 520

From the AARoads Wiki: Read about the road before you go
Jump to navigation Jump to search

State Route 520

Map of Seattle and the Eastside, with SR 520 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of I-5
Defined by RCW 47.17.720
Maintained by WSDOT
Length12.82 mi[1] (20.63 km)
Existed1964[2]–present
Major junctions
West end I-5 in Seattle
Major intersections I-405 in Bellevue
East end SR 202 in Redmond
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyKing
Highway system
SR 519 SR 522

State Route 520 (SR 520) is a state highway and freeway in the Seattle metropolitan area, part of the U.S. state of Washington. It runs 13 miles (21 km) from Seattle in the west to Redmond in the east. The freeway connects Seattle to the Eastside region of King County via the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge on Lake Washington. SR 520 intersects several state highways, including Interstate 5 (I-5) in Seattle, I-405 in Bellevue, and SR 202 in Redmond.

The original floating bridge was opened in 1963 as a replacement for the cross-lake ferry system that had operated since the late 19th century. In 1964, SR 520 was designated as a freeway connecting I-5 to I-405. An extension to Redmond was proposed later in the decade. In the 1970s and 1980s, sections of the freeway between Bellevue and Redmond were opened to traffic, replacing the temporary designation of SR 920.

Since the 1990s, SR 520 has been expanded with high-occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV lanes) and new interchanges to serve the Overlake area. In 2016, the original Evergreen Point Floating Bridge was replaced by a wider bridge, as part of a multibillion-dollar expansion program that is scheduled to be completed in the 2020s. The program also includes the construction of new bus infrastructure at Montlake and on the Eastside, as well as a bicycle and pedestrian path along most of the highway's length.

Route description

A four-lane freeway separated from oncoming traffic by a concrete barrier. A sign in the background indicates that the exit for State Route 202 is approaching.
SR 520 eastbound approaching SR 202 in Downtown Redmond

SR 520 begins at an interchange with I-5 in northern Seattle near Roanoke Park. The interchange provides access to both directions of I-5 as well as a westbound off-ramp to Harvard Avenue and Roanoke Street.[3] SR 520 travels east across the south end of Portage Bay and its wetlands on the Portage Bay Viaduct, entering the Montlake neighborhood. In Montlake, the highway intersects Montlake Boulevard (SR 513) and Lake Washington Boulevard just south of the University of Washington campus and Husky Stadium.[4] The freeway gains a set of HOV lanes and continues east on a pair of causeways through the marshlands of Union Bay and Foster Island, at the north end of the Washington Park Arboretum.[5][6]

From Seattle, SR 520 crosses Lake Washington on the six-lane Evergreen Point Floating Bridge; at 7,710 feet (2,350 m), it is the longest floating bridge in the world.[7] Tolls are collected electronically using the state's Good to Go pass or by mail, and vary based on time of day and the vehicle's number of axles. As of 2017, tolls for Good to Go users range from a minimum of $1.25 between midnight and 5:00 a.m. and a maximum of $4.30 during the morning and evening peak periods; tolls paid by mail range from $3.25 to $6.30.[8] The freeway reaches the eastern end of Lake Washington at Evergreen Point in northern Medina, where it travels under a landscaped park lid and next to a median-side bus station. After an interchange and lid at 84th Avenue Northeast in Hunts Point, SR 520 travels eastward around the northern edge of Clyde Hill in a north-facing arc, passing through the Yarrow Point lid and bus station.[9] The freeway enters Bellevue, intersecting I-405 and crossing over the Eastside Rail Corridor. SR 520 continues along the north side of the Bel-Red industrial area and enters the Overlake area of Redmond.[4]

Within Overlake, SR 520 turns north and passes through several office parks, including the headquarters campus of Microsoft and the Nintendo of America branch office.[10] To serve exits at Northeast 40th Street and Northeast 51st Street, SR 520 gains a set of collector–distributor lanes, separated from other lanes by a concrete barrier.[11] The freeway crosses the Sammamish River and turns east, passing to the south of the Redmond Town Center mall and Bear Creek and to the north of Marymoor Park. East of downtown Redmond, SR 520 intersects SR 202 and terminates;[12] the road continues north as Avondale Road towards Cottage Lake.[4] Portions of the corridor from Montlake to Downtown Redmond are also paralleled by a shared-use trail for bicycles and pedestrians.[13][14][15]

SR 520's entire route is designated as part of the National Highway System,[16] classifying it as important to the national economy, defense, and mobility.[17] The State of Washington also designates the SR 520 corridor as a Highway of Statewide Significance,[18] a category of highways that connect major communities throughout the state.[19] SR 520 is maintained by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), which conducts an annual survey on the state's highways to measure traffic volume in terms of average annual daily traffic. In 2016, WSDOT calculated that 80,000 vehicles traveled on SR 520 near its interchange with SR 202 in Redmond and 47,000 vehicles used it at SR 513 in Seattle, the highest and lowest traffic counts along the highway, respectively.[20] The highway is noted for its lack of a "reverse commute", with roughly equal amounts of traffic in both directions during peak periods.[21][22]

History

Ferries and proposed floating bridge

New towns along the eastern shore of Lake Washington were established in the late 19th century and initially served by steamship ferries, bringing passengers and goods to and from Seattle.[23] By 1913, the steam ferry Leschi was transporting automobiles and pedestrians between Seattle and the docks in Bellevue, Kirkland, and Medina.[24] In 1940, the Lake Washington Floating Bridge was opened between Seattle and Mercer Island, carrying the Sunset Highway (later I-90) from Seattle towards Bellevue and the Eastside. The new bridge allowed the Eastside to develop rapidly into bedroom communities in the 1940s and 1950s;[25] the bridge also replaced the ferry system, which ceased operation in 1950, shortly after the removal of tolls on the bridge.[26][27]

In the late 1940s, the state government conducted a feasibility study for a second floating bridge across Lake Washington, in response to increased traffic on the Mercer Island bridge.[26][28] In 1953, the Washington State Legislature approved the construction of a second floating bridge, using past and future tolls to fund its construction.[29][30] The west end of the floating bridge was to connect to the Everett–Seattle tollway (later I-5) at Roanoke Street, south of the planned Ship Canal Bridge, as well as the proposed Empire Way Expressway (later the R.H. Thompson Expressway) at Montlake.[31][32] The east end was to connect to the planned north–south freeway bypass of the Seattle area (later I-405), with an optional connection to the Stevens Pass Highway.[33] Two alignments for the floating bridge were considered in the late 1950s: a Sand Point–Kirkland, favored by the City of Seattle; and an Evergreen Point crossing, favored by the state government and the U.S. Navy, which operated Naval Air Station Sand Point.[33] The state government initially chose the Montlake–Evergreen Point alignment in 1954, intending to begin construction in 1955,[34] but the alignment dispute delayed a final decision until December 1956.[35][36] Citizen groups from the Montlake area protested the decision, but were largely ignored by the project's citizen committee.[37]

Opening of floating bridge and freeway

A black and white photograph of a concrete road in the middle of paving. Piles of dirt, forming a ramp, can be seen in the background.
SR 520 under construction in 1963, pictured east of Montlake Boulevard

Construction of the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge began on August 29, 1960,[30] and assembly of the bridge's pontoons began the following year.[38] The bridge and its approach highways, connecting the main branch of Primary State Highway 1 in Seattle to its Eastside branch near Bellevue, were added to the state highway system in March 1961.[39][40] Construction of the western approach, an expressway between the Roanoke Interchange, Portage Bay, Montlake, and the Washington Park Arboretum, began in early 1962.[41] The eastern approach was constructed between 1962 and 1963, connecting the bridge to Medina, Secondary State Highway 2A in southern Houghton, and Northup Way—a local road that continued east towards Redmond.[42][43]

The Evergreen Point Floating Bridge opened on August 28, 1963, along with the Roanoke Expressway, part of the Seattle Freeway,[44] and the eastern approach to Houghton and Bellevue up to a temporary interchange with 104th Avenue Northeast.[36][45] The bridge and its approaches, constituting a state highway, were re-designated as Sign Route 520 (later SR 520) under the new state highway numbering system adopted in 1964.[46][47] SR 520 would use a temporary route on Northup Way (Northeast 20th Street) and Bel-Red Road between Bellevue and SR 202 in Redmond until the planned freeway was completed by the late 1970s.[48][49][50] A section of SR 520 between the Evergreen Point Bridge toll plaza and 104th Avenue Northeast was expanded in 1973 to accommodate a bus-only lane at the request of Metro Transit, which had begun operating express buses over the bridge.[51]

Extension to Redmond

The Northup Interchange, where SR 520 intersects I-405, was opened on November 22, 1966.[52] The highway was also extended east from 104th Avenue Northeast to 124th Avenue Northeast, serving the Bel-Red industrial area. The state government announced plans in 1968 to begin construction on the remaining freeway to Redmond, via a northeastward course through the Overlake area and across Marymoor Park.[53] Construction of a 1.3-mile-long (2.1 km) segment between 124th Avenue Northeast and 148th Avenue Northeast in Overlake began in February 1972 and was completed in December 1973.[54][55]

The planned route of SR 520 along the north side of Marymoor Park in Redmond was given the temporary designation of SR 920 in 1975.[56] The two-lane expressway, connecting West Lake Sammamish Parkway (SR 901) and SR 202, was opened in July 1977 after several months of construction.[57][58] Completion of the last segment of SR 520, between 148th Avenue Northeast and SR 920, was given priority by Eastside cities and civic groups in the mid-1970s.[59] However, the City of Bellevue asked that the state government build a reversible bus lane on the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge before completing the last segment, due to increased traffic on the bridge.[60] The City of Redmond opposed the request, leading to a dispute between the two cities that was later resolved with a compromise to place completion of SR 520 ahead of the bus lane.[61]

The state government approved funding for the Redmond project in 1977, extending SR 520 by 2.65 miles (4.26 km) at an estimated cost of $10 million (equivalent to $39 million in 2023 dollars[62]), funded using part of a statewide gasoline tax increase of two cents per gallon.[63] Contract bidding for the last segment was halted in 1978 by a lawsuit filed by a group of Eastside residents in opposition to the freeway, claiming that its environmental impact had been improperly assessed.[64] U.S. District Judge Morell Edward Sharp ruled in favor of the state government in March 1979, allowing for the bid to be awarded to a contractor.[65] The segment was opened to traffic on December 18, 1981.[66] The SR 920 designation was removed from the state highway system in 1985, and the section was re-signed as part of SR 520.[67] A traffic signal at the intersection of SR 520 and Northeast 51st Street remained in place until 1986, when it was replaced with an interchange.[68][69]

Freeway widening and new interchanges

The completion of SR 520 spurred new development in Downtown Redmond and the Overlake area, contributing to major traffic congestion on the freeway.[70] In 1994, the state government approved $81.1 million (equivalent to $151 million in 2023 dollars[62]) in highway improvements for the SR 520 corridor, including lane expansions and the addition of HOV lanes.[71] The segment from West Lake Sammamish Parkway to SR 202 was widened from two to four lanes in September 1995, and included the construction of a new bridge across the Sammamish River.[72] In late 1996, the highway's terminus at SR 202 was converted from a signalized intersection to an interchange, including an overpass connecting to Avondale Road.[73] SR 520's HOV lanes between I-405 and West Lake Sammamish Parkway were opened in 1999 after a $40 million (equivalent to $69 million in 2023 dollars[62]) expansion project.[74] The new lanes were restricted to two persons per vehicle, while the older HOV lanes between I-405 and the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge had a three-person requirement.[75] A new interchange was built at Northeast 40th Street in 2000 to serve the Microsoft Redmond Campus and other nearby employers, along with a set of collector–distributor lanes through the area, and ramp meters to manage traffic flow.[76][77] Between 1994 and 2002, portions of a multi-use pedestrian and bicycle path on the north side of the freeway were completed and opened, forming a 4.5-mile-long (7.2 km) trail from northern Bellevue to Marymoor Park in Redmond.[78][79]

In the late 2000s, WSDOT completed several highway improvement projects on the segment of SR 520 between West Lake Sammamish Parkway and SR 202 in Downtown Redmond. In August 2008, a flyover ramp from westbound SR 202 to westbound SR 520 was opened to traffic, replacing a pair of onramp traffic signals.[80][81] SR 520 was widened to four lanes in each direction in 2010,[82] in a multi-phase project that added HOV and merge lanes, as well as reconstructed ramps at West Lake Sammamish Parkway.[83][84] In addition to the Downtown Redmond projects, a new lid-like overpass at Northeast 36th Street in Overlake was opened in 2010 to improve traffic in the area. The overpass's $30 million cost (equivalent to $41 million in 2023 dollars[62]) was funded mostly by Microsoft, along with contributions from the City of Redmond and federal stimulus funding.[85][86]

Additional projects were funded by the Connecting Washington funding package, which was approved by the state legislature in 2015. An additional ramp is being added to the 148th Avenue Northeast interchange in Overlake, connecting eastbound traffic to the Overlake Village area via a set of new streets and an underpass. It began construction in 2021 and was opened in December 2023 at a cost of $68 million.[87][88] The package also funded $40.9 million to engineer and acquire land for an expanded interchange at 124th Avenue Northeast in Bellevue to serve the Spring District.[89]

Bridge replacement and corridor improvement program

A bridge with a heavy amount of traffic and a bridge still under construction, with bare concrete and staging equipment, seen alongside each other.
The original Evergreen Point Floating Bridge (left) and its under-construction replacement (right), seen in 2015 from the east approach

Since the opening of the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge in 1963, several proposals from local governments have requested the construction of a parallel span or additional pontoons to increase capacity and add infrastructure for rapid transit and bicyclists.[90] Daily traffic crossing the bridge rose from 17,400 cars in 1964 to nearly 100,000 in 1987, making the bridge the worst traffic bottleneck in the state of Washington.[91] By the late 1990s, the bridge was carrying twice as much traffic as it was designed to handle, and calls from Eastside cities and companies for a replacement bridge intensified.[92] WSDOT engineers also determined that sections of the bridge would fail during a large earthquake or a major windstorm, and that the bridge was nearing the end of its life expectancy, necessitating a total replacement.[93][94] The bridge underwent a major rehabilitation in 1999, including a seismic retrofit, and increased resistance to stronger sustained winds, to extend its life expectancy to 20 to 25 years.[21]

The Washington State Transportation Commission began seeking alternatives for the bridge replacement project in 1997,[95] including a Sand Point crossing and various designs for a parallel replacement span.[7] The non-bridge elements of the project on the Eastside would be centered on lidding the freeway; a proposal to build a lid over the entire section between Lake Washington and I-405 was rejected due to its projected cost of $2 billion.[9] In 2003, the alternatives were narrowed to a replacement span, with varying lane widths and configurations for interchanges in Seattle.[96] WSDOT chose the project's preferred alternative, a replacement span with six lanes and a mixed-use trail, in 2011.[97][98] The $4.51 billion megaproject,[99] which encompasses the SR 520 corridor between I-5 and I-405, was funded using a state gas tax and electronic tolls on the floating bridge introduced on December 29, 2011, to repay construction bonds over a 40-year period.[7][100]

Construction of the SR 520 corridor project began in April 2011 on the Eastside, where WSDOT expanded the freeway to six lanes and added HOV lanes.[97] The project, completed in 2014, also included the construction of new bus stations and direct access ramps, new interchanges, park lids covering SR 520, and a multi-use trail.[101][102] Construction of the new floating bridge began in 2012, and it was dedicated on April 2, 2016, as the longest floating bridge in the world.[7][103] The westbound lanes opened on April 11 and the eastbound lanes were opened on April 25.[104] The new, 116-foot-wide (35 m) bridge features four general purpose lanes and two HOV lanes,[104][105] as well as a multi-use trail on its north side that opened on December 20, 2017.[15][106] Demolition of the former bridge was completed in early 2017.[107] The western approach was partially replaced with a new bridge for westbound traffic in August 2017, with the eastbound lanes temporarily remaining on the old approach bridge.[5] As part of the project, several "ghost ramps" in the Washington Park Arboretum for the cancelled R.H. Thomson Expressway were demolished in 2017, despite calls to preserve them in memory of the protests that cancelled the projects in the 1960s.[108][109]

Improvements to the remaining segment of the SR 520 corridor, between I-5 and the floating bridge, were initially left unfunded, but underwent design and environmental review. In 2015, the state legislature approved $1.64 billion in funding for the "Rest of the West" program, which will be constructed between 2018 and 2029.[110][111] The first phase of the program, planned to be completed by 2024, will include construction of the eastbound lanes of the western approach bridge and a new Montlake Boulevard interchange with HOV lane ramps, a relocated bus station, and a park lid.[112][113] The eastbound approach to the floating bridge was opened to limited traffic in July 2023 and is scheduled to carry three lanes in its permanent configuration beginning the following month.[114] The second phase, to be constructed between 2020 and 2030, will include a new bridge across Portage Bay, a park lid near Roanoke Park, and a new HOV lane ramp to the I-5 reversible express lanes.[110][115][116] The express lane ramp, planned to cost $68 million, was expected open in early 2024, but it was later delayed to 2030 due to the inability to increase transit service on the corridor.[117][118] The Portage Bay bridge and Roanoke lid are expected to begin construction in 2024 and be finished in late 2030, in tandem with the express lane ramp, at a cost of up to $900 million.[119] The third phase, to be constructed between 2024 and 2029, consists of a second bascule bridge over the Montlake Cut, paralleling the existing Montlake Bridge, to connect SR 520 to the University District.[110][120]

Mass transit

The SR 520 corridor is served by Sound Transit Express Route 545,[121] as well as other Sound Transit Express, King County Metro, and Community Transit bus routes.[122] The corridor averaged about 24,500 weekday riders in 2016,[123] using 700 bus trips on 18 routes.[124] During peak periods, buses travel on SR 520 every one to four minutes between the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge and I-405.[125]

Sound Transit is scheduled to begin Link light rail service along the Redmond portion of the SR 520 corridor in 2024, with the opening of the 2 Line to w:Redmond Technology station.[126] Approved by voters in 2008, the line will connect Redmond Technology station at Northeast 40th Street and Overlake Village station at 152nd Avenue Northeast to Seattle and Downtown Bellevue, crossing Lake Washington on the I-90 floating bridge.[127][128] The line is scheduled to be extended along SR 520 to Downtown Redmond in 2025,[126] using funding from the Sound Transit 3 program approved by voters in 2016.[129] The rebuilt floating bridge was also designed to accommodate a future light rail extension, requiring supplemental pontoons and new approaches.[130]

Exit list

The entire highway is in King County. All exits are unnumbered.

Locationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Seattle0.000.00 I-5 – Portland, Vancouver BCWestern terminus
0.200.32Roanoke Street / Harvard AvenueWestbound exit only
0.941.51Montlake Boulevard (SR 513) – University of WashingtonLast eastbound exit before toll
1.632.62Lake Washington BoulevardEastbound entrance only
Lake Washington1.63–
3.98
2.62–
6.41
Evergreen Point Floating Bridge
Medina4.146.66Evergreen Point Freeway StationBus only
Hunts Point4.577.3584th Avenue NortheastEastbound exit and westbound entrance
Clyde Hill5.398.6792nd Avenue NortheastWestbound exit and eastbound entrance; last westbound exit before toll
5.158.29Yarrow Point Freeway StationBus only
Bellevue5.979.61Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast / Bellevue WayEastbound exit and westbound entrance; former SR 908
6.2910.12108th Avenue NortheastNo eastbound exit (except HOV)
6.9411.17 I-405 – Renton, Everett
7.5012.07124th Avenue NortheastEastbound exit and westbound entrance
9.1714.76148th Avenue Northeast / 152nd Avenue NortheastAccess to 152nd Avenue Northeast only through eastbound offramp
Redmond9.71–
11.21
15.63–
18.04
Northeast 40th Street / Northeast 51st Street
11.7918.97West Lake Sammamish Parkway NortheastFormer SR 901
12.8220.63 SR 202 (Redmond Way)Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; continues as Avondale Road
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b Multimodal Planning Division (January 27, 2017). "State Highway Log Planning Report 2016, SR 2 to SR 971" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. pp. 1525–1532. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
  2. ^ "47.17.720: State route No. 520". Revised Code of Washington. Washington State Legislature. 1970. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  3. ^ "SR 5 – Exit 168A/B: SR 520/Roanoke St/Boylston Ave" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. March 14, 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Google (July 17, 2017). "State Route 520" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  5. ^ a b DeMay, Daniel (August 25, 2017). "SR 520 bridge closed this weekend". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  6. ^ "Key features of the West Approach Bridge North Project upon completion" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. April 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 31, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d Dougherty, Phil (May 17, 2016). "New State Route 520 floating bridge opens to traffic on April 25, 2016". HistoryLink. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  8. ^ "SR 520 Bridge Toll Rates". Washington State Department of Transportation. July 2017. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  9. ^ a b Kroman, David (May 9, 2023). "7 acres, 3 lids: Eastside cities want the state to mow the lawn". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  10. ^ Romano, Benjamin J. (November 11, 2007). "Microsoft campus expands, transforms, inside and out". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on August 29, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  11. ^ Fujioka, Justin (October 19, 2015). "When sharing can be a problem". WSDOT Blog. Washington State Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on August 29, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  12. ^ "SR 520 – Junction SR 202" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. August 31, 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 12, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  13. ^ Shaw, Greg (January 27, 2015). "A new 520 bike trail is re-shaping the Eastside". Crosscut.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  14. ^ Regional Trails in King County (PDF) (Map). King County Parks and Recreation Division. February 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  15. ^ a b "SR 520 Trail now open across Lake Washington" (Press release). Washington State Department of Transportation. December 20, 2017. Archived from the original on December 27, 2017. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
  16. ^ Federal Highway Administration (September 22, 2015). National Highway System: Seattle, WA (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  17. ^ "What is the National Highway System?". Federal Highway Administration. January 31, 2017. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  18. ^ "Transportation Commission List of Highways of Statewide Significance" (PDF). Washington State Transportation Commission. July 26, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 24, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  19. ^ "Highways of Statewide Significance". Washington State Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on August 22, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  20. ^ "2016 Annual Traffic Report" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. 2017. p. 200. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  21. ^ a b "Chapter 1: Introduction to the Project" (PDF). SR 520, I-5 to Medina: Bridge Replacement and HOV Project Final Environmental Impact Statement. Washington State Department of Transportation. June 2011. pp. 6–7. OCLC 750115709. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  22. ^ Lindblom, Mike (June 4, 2002). "Seattle-to-Eastside trip is no longer 'reverse' commute". The Seattle Times. p. B1. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  23. ^ Stein, Alan J. (October 25, 1998). "Kirkland — Thumbnail History". HistoryLink. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  24. ^ Stein, Alan J. (February 10, 2013). "Leschi, the first auto ferry in Western Washington, is launched on Lake Washington on December 6, 1913". HistoryLink. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  25. ^ Reynolds, Peggy (November 26, 1990). "'The biggest thing afloat'". The Seattle Times. p. A5. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  26. ^ a b Whitely, Peyton (April 16, 1998). "Before the Bridge: From 1870 to 1950, most Eastsiders who wanted to cross Lake Washington traveled by ferry". The Seattle Times. p. B3. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  27. ^ Boswell, Sharon; McConaghy, Lorraine (June 16, 1996). "A bridge to the future". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on March 21, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  28. ^ "State Orders Survey for 2nd Lake Bridge". The Seattle Times. August 31, 1949. p. 1.
  29. ^ "Chapter 192: Additional Bridge Across Lake Washington" (PDF). Session Laws of the State of Washington, 1953. Washington State Legislature. March 18, 1953. pp. 413–414. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  30. ^ a b "HAER No. WA-201: Evergreen Point Floating Bridge (Governor Albert D. Rosellini Bridge—Evergreen Point)" (PDF). Historic American Engineering Record. National Park Service. 2010. pp. 7–9. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  31. ^ "Details Of Multimillion Project Told". The Seattle Times. December 12, 1954. p. 1.
  32. ^ "City Studies Analysis Of 5 Routes For Lake Bridge". The Seattle Times. December 27, 1957. p. 1.
  33. ^ a b Willix, Douglas (November 11, 1957). "New Lake-Span Problems". The Seattle Times. p. 12.
  34. ^ "Montlake-Evergreen Point Route Picked For 2nd Lake Bridge; Construction To Begin In 8 Months". The Seattle Times. United Press International. August 3, 1954. p. 1.
  35. ^ Hittle, Leroy (December 12, 1956). "Highway Board View Is Indorsed". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. p. 1.
  36. ^ a b Dougherty, Phil (June 26, 2015). "Evergreen Point Floating Bridge opens on August 28, 1963". HistoryLink. Archived from the original on August 27, 2017. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  37. ^ "Montlake Club Protests Proposal For Lake Bridge". The Seattle Times. December 10, 1956. p. 25.
  38. ^ "Firm Prepares To Build Pontoons For Lake Bridge". The Seattle Times. February 19, 1961. p. 26.
  39. ^ "Senate Passes 2 Highway Bills". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. March 26, 1961. p. 41.
  40. ^ "Chapter 21: Highways" (PDF). Session Laws of the State of Washington, 1961 extraordinary session. Washington State Legislature. April 3, 1961. p. 2617. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  41. ^ "Section of 10th Ave. E. To Be Closed". The Seattle Times. April 24, 1962. p. 29.
  42. ^ Barr, Robert A. (September 19, 1962). "Work Goes Fast: 2nd Lake Span Spurting Ahead". The Seattle Times. p. 3.
  43. ^ "Evergreen Span, Northrup Way To Be Linked". The Seattle Times. February 19, 1963. p. 9.
  44. ^ "Rosellini Snips Ribbon to Open New Floating Bridge". The Seattle Times. August 28, 1963. p. C.
  45. ^ "Traffic Routes to the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge". The Seattle Times. August 25, 1963. p. 4.
  46. ^ Prahl, C. G. (December 1, 1965). "Identification of State Highways" (PDF). Washington State Highway Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 17, 2017. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  47. ^ "To End Confusion: Highways Given Different Numbers". The Seattle Times. January 26, 1964. p. 24.
  48. ^ "Hearing Set On Extending Highway 520". The Seattle Times. September 11, 1966. p. 42.
  49. ^ United States Geological Survey (1975). Seattle, Wash (Topographic map). 1:100,000. United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on December 27, 2017. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
  50. ^ United States Geological Survey (1982). Bellevue North, Washington (Topographic map). 1:25,000. United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on December 27, 2017. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
  51. ^ "East Side bus-only lane to open". The Seattle Times. August 30, 1973. p. F5.
  52. ^ Barr, Robert A. (November 9, 1966). "2 Interchanges On East Side Freeway To Open Nov. 22". The Seattle Times. p. 1.
  53. ^ Barr, Robert A. (August 4, 1968). "Plans Announced For Redmond Freeway". The Seattle Times. p. 17.
  54. ^ "Work begins soon on Redmond-Seattle link". The Seattle Times. January 30, 1972. p. D20.
  55. ^ "Four-lane highway link opens". The Seattle Times. December 10, 1973. p. D15.
  56. ^ "Chapter 63: State Highways—Route Designations" (PDF). Session Laws of the State of Washington, 1975. Washington State Legislature. April 5, 1975. p. 131. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 27, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  57. ^ "New Redmond bypass will open tomorrow". The Seattle Times. July 14, 1977. p. D5.
  58. ^ "Work begins next week on Redmond-bypass bridge". The Seattle Times. May 13, 1976. p. D9.
  59. ^ "Extension of Highway 520 to Redmond to be discussed". The Seattle Times. August 11, 1976. p. H2.
  60. ^ Sufia, David (November 24, 1976). "Bellevue's transit-land request makes Redmond mayor see red". The Seattle Times. p. D4.
  61. ^ Sufia, David (December 15, 1976). "Two-city 'pact' on highway?". The Seattle Times. p. H7.
  62. ^ a b c d Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  63. ^ Daniel, Linda (June 29, 1977). "Gas tax: That 2 cents a gallon will make Redmond travel easier". The Seattle Times. p. H1.
  64. ^ Wilson, Marshall (October 18, 1978). "Lawsuit postpones Highway 520 bids". The Seattle Times. p. H1.
  65. ^ "State plans to OK funds for 520". The Seattle Times. March 13, 1979. p. A9.
  66. ^ Case, Rebecca (December 18, 1981). "Redmond 520 link opens today". Journal-American. Bellevue, Washington. p. A1.
  67. ^ "Chapter 177: State Highways Routes Revised" (PDF). Session Laws of the State of Washington, 1985. Washington State Legislature. April 25, 1985. p. 674. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 27, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  68. ^ "Eastside Briefly". The Seattle Times. March 11, 1985. p. D1.
  69. ^ "Eastside Briefly: N.E. 51st St. traffic temporarily rerouted". The Seattle Times. September 8, 1986. p. B1.
  70. ^ Tizon, Alex (June 3, 1987). "City officials want to ease congestion on Route 520". The Seattle Times. p. H1.
  71. ^ Norton, Dee; Brooks, Diane (April 5, 1994). "Hwy. 522 gets slice of repair budget". The Seattle Times. p. B1.
  72. ^ Lopez Williams, Sarah (September 22, 1995). "520 lane fix: Help, not cure". The Seattle Times. p. B1.
  73. ^ Lopez Williams, Sarah (October 11, 1996). "New lane on 520 may ease backups". The Seattle Times. p. B1.
  74. ^ Whitely, Peyton (October 19, 1999). "Upgrades on 520 nearly finished; car-pool lanes ought to improve commute". The Seattle Times. p. B1.
  75. ^ Johnston, Steve (August 28, 1996). "Twos, threes: 520 car-pool rules are all over the road". The Seattle Times. p. B1.
  76. ^ Whitely, Peyton (October 5, 2000). "Hwy. 520 ramps expected to ease Redmond commute". The Seattle Times. p. B1.
  77. ^ Bryant, Arlene (December 17, 2000). "Hwy. 520 adds ramp meters". The Seattle Times. p. B2.
  78. ^ Holt, Gordy (May 24, 2002). "New $2.9 million bike path links Eastside suburbs". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. B1. Archived from the original on June 7, 2002. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  79. ^ Perry, Nick (May 23, 2002). "Trail's final stretch along Highway 520 celebrated today". The Seattle Times. p. B4.
  80. ^ Giroux, Wendy (September 23, 2008). "Gregoire, officials, commuters tout success of 202 improvements". Redmond Reporter. Archived from the original on August 29, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  81. ^ "WSDOT Joins Local Leaders to Kick off New SR 202 / SR 520 Flyover Ramp" (Press release). Washington State Department of Transportation. May 2, 2007. Archived from the original on December 29, 2009. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  82. ^ "Drivers to get a new lane as SR 520 project reaches milestone". Redmond Reporter. June 28, 2010. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  83. ^ Roe, Amy (May 3, 2007). "Redmond drivers may get reprieve". The Seattle Times. p. B3. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017.
  84. ^ "SR 520 – West Lake Sammamish Parkway to SR 202 – Open December 2010". Washington State Department of Transportation. March 2011. Archived from the original on May 30, 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  85. ^ Pak, Samantha (December 16, 2010). "Ceremony kicks off the opening of new NE 36th Street Bridge". Redmond Reporter. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  86. ^ Oppmann, Patrick (March 31, 2009). "Critics slam Microsoft bridge as waste of stimulus money". CNN. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  87. ^ Hatmaker, Adrienne (May 3, 2022). "Tunnel work begins for Overlake access ramp in Redmond". WSDOT Blog. Washington State Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  88. ^ "Access granted: New off-ramp, tunnel linking eastbound SR 520 with Overlake Village in Redmond opens Thursday, Dec. 14" (Press release). Washington State Department of Transportation. December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  89. ^ "SR 520/124th Avenue NE Interchange Project". Washington State Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  90. ^ Whitely, Peyton (November 26, 1972). "Reversible lane tops ideas for Evergreen Point bridge". The Seattle Times. p. A5.
  91. ^ Gough, William (August 28, 1988). "A bridge too small: At 25 years old, span of Route 520 is beset by chronic congestion". The Seattle Times. p. A1.
  92. ^ Ervin, Keith; Whitely, Peyton; Lopez Williams, Sarah (March 16, 1997). "Highway 520: Going nowhere fast". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  93. ^ Dudley, Brier; Whitely, Peyton (March 4, 1999). "Broken-down 520 bridge on last leg?". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  94. ^ Singer, Natalie (August 28, 2003). "Crossing lake hits crossroads: Issues facing 520 bridge are comparable to '63, when span first opened". The Seattle Times. p. B1.
  95. ^ Whitely, Peyton (November 22, 1997). "Lake Washington traffic study would involve variety of groups". The Seattle Times. p. A11.
  96. ^ Whitely, Peyton (January 31, 2002). "12 options get go-ahead on Highway 520". The Seattle Times. p. B1.
  97. ^ a b "Building the New SR 520 Bridge". Washington State Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  98. ^ Thompson, Lynn (April 29, 2011). "Panel approves new 520 bridge – Six-lane highway McGinn is lone dissenter". The Seattle Times. p. B1. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  99. ^ "SR 520 - Budget and Performance". Washington State Department of Transportation. August 2017. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  100. ^ Lindblom, Mike (December 27, 2011). "520 bridge tolling ready to roll". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  101. ^ "SR 520 – Eastside Transit and HOV Project – Complete September 2015". Washington State Department of Transportation. 2015. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  102. ^ Lindblom, Mike (June 15, 2014). "Evergreen Point transit station opens Monday". The Seattle Times. p. B2. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  103. ^ Bush, Evan (April 12, 2016). "New 520 bridge has traveled long, long road to its opening". The Seattle Times. p. B7. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  104. ^ a b "SR 520 Floating Bridge and Landings Project: Building the World's Longest Floating Bridge" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. April 2017. p. 6. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  105. ^ Lindblom, Mike (April 1, 2016). "Party time ahead for new 520 bridge". The Seattle Times. p. A8. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  106. ^ "WSDOT opens new bike/pedestrian trail on SR 520 bridge". KING 5 News. December 20, 2017. Archived from the original on December 21, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  107. ^ "SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program: Construction Progress Report, March 2017" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. May 30, 2017. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  108. ^ Lindblom, Mike (January 25, 2013). "520 'ramps to nowhere' to come down". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  109. ^ Lindblom, Mike (February 18, 2017). "An old Highway 520 crossbeam could be 'urban ruins' honoring anti-freeway activists". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  110. ^ a b c "SR 520 Rest of the West Open House" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. June 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  111. ^ Meredith, Julie; Kyle, Larry (May 12, 2016). "WSDOT finishing 'The Rest of the West' on SR 520". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  112. ^ Minnick, Benjamin (February 13, 2017). "WSDOT to seek design-build firm for $425M bridge, lid, trails at Montlake". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  113. ^ Lindblom, Mike (October 11, 2022). "Lid project makes progress in Montlake". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  114. ^ Peer, Steve (July 24, 2023). "New day, new way in Seattle's Montlake neighborhood". WSDOT Blog. Washington State Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  115. ^ "Executive Summary and Introduction" (PDF). SR 520, I-5 to Medina: Bridge Replacement and HOV Project Section 106 Technical Report (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. June 2011. pp. viii–x. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  116. ^ Lindblom, Mike (September 26, 2018). "I-5 will add a 5th express lane to serve future Eastside-South Lake Union bus routes". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  117. ^ Lindblom, Mike (November 16, 2022). "A crumbling Highway 520 ramp support needs a do-over". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  118. ^ Lindblom, Mike (July 31, 2023). "WSDOT drops plan for a 2024 Highway 520/I-5 bus ramp. What does that mean for you?". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  119. ^ "3 design-build teams to compete for $900M Portage Bay Bridge". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  120. ^ "Questions and Answers: Next Phase of SR 520 construction in Seattle" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. May 31, 2017. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  121. ^ Pryne, Eric (November 5, 2004). "Commuters settle bus-reroute dispute". The Seattle Times. p. B4. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  122. ^ Metro Transit System: Northeast Area (PDF) (Map). King County Metro. September 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 4, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  123. ^ "SR-520 Project: Initial Findings from Data Analysis". King County Metro. May 4, 2017. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  124. ^ "Bus Service Bridging Lake Washington". King County Metro. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  125. ^ "Chapter 8: Transit" (PDF). SR 520, Medina to SR 202: Eastside Transit and HOV Project Environmental Assessment, Appendix Q: Transportation Discipline Report (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. December 2009. p. 8-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 10, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  126. ^ a b Belman, Brooke (August 24, 2023). "Get ready for new Link service on the Eastside next spring". The Platform. Sound Transit. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  127. ^ Lindblom, Mike (May 14, 2017). "World's first light rail on a floating bridge: For I-90, Sound Transit had to invent 'a brilliant solution'". The Seattle Times. p. A12. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  128. ^ "East Link Extension Fact Sheet" (PDF). Sound Transit. October 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  129. ^ "Downtown Redmond Link Extension Fact Sheet" (PDF). Sound Transit. May 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  130. ^ "SR 520: Light Rail in the Corridor". Washington State Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on July 20, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2017.

External links