1925: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter)
1939: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Satellite) closed to traffic in 2001; repaired and reopened June 1, 2012
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| Street View, Mar 2025 |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted "The Hylebos Bridge (Tacoma, Washington) was still under construction in 1939 when it was hit by the steamer Point San Pablo. The span was knocked four to five feet out of alignment but bounced back all but 10 inches. No one was hurt and construction remained on schedule." (Photo courtesy: Tacoma Public Library) |
The 1925 was built by Strauss Bascule Bridge Co. [ArchivedBridgeHunter_1925]
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| BridgeHunter_1925 [It looks like a Strauss Overhead Counterweight Bridge (SOC).] |
In 1925, a single-leaf bridge replaced a wooden drawbridge. But the Department of War declared the 84' (25.6m) horizontal clearance to be a hazard to navigation, and after some legal battle, the bridge was removed starting in Dec 1935. Funding a new bridge during the depression was a challenge, but the new one, which had a 150' [45.7m] horizontal clearance, started construction in 1937. [SouthSoundTalk]
The bridge was locked in the upright position in 2001 because a drive shaft broke. "The city could have replaced the broken part for about $50,000, says Breivik. But after examining the timber, steel, and concrete apparatus, the council members decided the bridge should either be abandoned or overhauled. In 2004 an arson fire on the east side damaged the bridge’s motors and steel. And scavengers have since made off with a lot of the machinery and metal parts for scrap." Repairs were finished in Oct 2011. [wsu]
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| wje "Constructed in 1939, the Hylebos Waterway Bridge is a 217-foot [66m] long double leaf trunnion bascule bridge spanning the Hylebos Creek. The bridge was originally designed for an H15 load rating. "A failed bascule leaf drive shaft left both bridge leafs permanently open....Three years later, the bridge sustained electrical and mechanical damage from a fire. Concerned about having too few evacuation routes in the event of an emergency, the City sought to repair and re-open the bridge. To do so, WJE was retained to assess the bridge’s current capacity and design strengthening repairs needed to achieve an HS20 load rating. |
On Oct 12, 2023, a tugboat assisting an ATB allided with the bridge's already deteriorated fender system. The fender system had to be replaced with a cost of $2.43m, but the bridge evidently stayed open. [gcaptain, ProfessionalMariner]
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| NTSB_press_release ATB Montlake/Sodo |
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| NTSB_report Olympic Scout |
The bridge closed in Nov 2023 because of a "motor failure." The cost to replace the motor was $50,000. [TheNewsTribune]
The bridge closed Aug 21, 2024 because of "an equipment issue." [nwseaportalliance]
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| tacoma Again, because of cold weather, the bridge closed Jan 17, 2025. |
The bridge closed Aug 19, 2025, because of a "technical malfunction." [TheNewsTribune]
It reopened on Aug 25, 2025. [tacoma]
Has this one bridge had more closures in a few years than Chicago's several bridges have had in a few decades? Chicago probably has colder temperatures.
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