No More Pedestrians on The Bridge
Even after the Murray Morgan Bridge was abruptly closed to traffic in October we could still roll our bikes around the blocks and down into the tideflats. Well, that’s about to change. This little tidbit appeared in Erik Anderson’s report to City Council last week:
Interim Public Works Director Mike Slevin reports that the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) called to inform the City of their decision to close the Murray Morgan Bridge to pedestrian traffic by locking it in the open position. WSDOT indicated the closure is necessary due to the condition of the cables that support the lift span and counterweights. WSDOT indicated that a letter will be forthcoming with more details. We will keep you advised.
What’s next?
Link to the City Manager’s Report for June 12 (pdf)
Previously on Exit133 (search)
Thank you, Jake
Filed under: murray-morgan-bridge, tacoma-landmarks
33 comments
J jamie from thriceallamerican June 19, 2008
Booooo!
S Squid June 19, 2008
Absolutely terrible. State is playing hardball.
S Sarah June 19, 2008
Was the bridge in the open position during the last Tall Ships festival?
S Squid June 19, 2008
Yes it was. Will be this year too.
I intacoma June 19, 2008
booooooooo
C Claudia Riedener June 19, 2008
Perfect lookout for homeland security. Will they weight in the cops before they get on the bridge to BBQ?
Another area conveniently blocked during 4th of July is the public boardwalk around the SilverCloud on Ruston. In the past they closed that to the public so that ‘public officials’ could hang out and enjoy the fireworks.
S Squid June 19, 2008
I’m looking forward to hearing the full explanation. I just talked with someone who knows about bridge engineering who said the given explanation doesn’t make any sense. Locking the bridge “open” (up) should actually place MORE stress on the cables. The cables are least stressed when the bridge is in the “down” position that allows traffic.
S Sarah June 19, 2008
I wonder how far back they will barricade 11th then. Hopefully the stairs down to Dock Street will remain accessible.
S Squid June 19, 2008
Rumor has it that those are being closed as well – I am trying to confirm. I heard this though before locking the bridge up was in the works – they may or may not be related.
J Jordan's Future Wife June 19, 2008
Horse manure.
J jamie from thriceallamerican June 19, 2008
I seem to recall the bridge got stuck open after the last Tall Ships, and they had to wait for some Peregrine Falcon chicks to clear the nest before they could fix it… I’m not just imagining things again, am I?
N NSHDscott June 19, 2008
No kidding. I was just on that bridge last weekend for a engagement portrait shoot. It’s a cool site for clients who
like a little gritty in their city.
Seemed pretty dang sturdy to me, but what do I know. Maybe
it’s a good thing we didn’t try jumping up and down on it.
T Thorax O'Tool June 19, 2008
So, when I miss the 65 or 60 coming home from work (like I do 3-4 times a week) I now have to walk all the way down East D and into downtown that way to get home?
That’s bull puckey. The city is closing it because of that damn anarchist group that has been vandalizing the living daylights out of the bridge.
T Thorax O'Tool June 19, 2008
Incidentally, I have several dozen photos of said vandalism if anyone wants to see just what I’m talking about.
C crenshaw sepulveda June 20, 2008
This is sad, the MM bridge is a prime location to view the Tall Ships. How typically Tacoma.
S Sarah June 20, 2008
@14: If you have a link to pictures please post it here.
I did notice new graffiti on the keepers house that I could see from 705.
J Jesse June 20, 2008
Hmmm… right as the D Street overpass is being completed. Well, you could take the D Street ramp to that side of town. Maybe this is about routing traffic in a certain manner about the city? It’s certainly not about the stress on the cables as they are MORE stressed when the bridge is in the “up” position.
J Jesse June 20, 2008
Hmmm… right as the D Street overpass is being completed. Well, you could take the D Street ramp to that side of town. Maybe this is about routing traffic in a certain manner about the city? It’s certainly not about the stress on the cables as they are MORE stressed when the bridge is in the “up” position.
Besides, didn’t the state want to rip this thing out after that new bridge was built and the city convinced (or bought) the rights to the bridge? Either rip it out or restore it with a plan to put a new Cheney Stadium on the other side of it with condos and a “bricktown” like OKC.
With no plan for anything really redeaming on the other side of it, this bridge is obsolete.
M morgan June 20, 2008
This is complete b*ll sh*t. Not allowing vehicles is one thing, but preventing pedestrian access is quite another. I say we sue thier ass!
D Derek staff June 20, 2008
Thorax – I’m fixing the images so that they actually are viewable. Your comment is tripping up our spam filter.
It’ll be online in 10 minutes.
T Thorax O'Tool June 20, 2008
Ok… my bad. Sorry ‘bout that
E Erick June 20, 2008
Those stairs are part of what keeps Foss Harbor livable for me. Foul.
A altered chords June 20, 2008
I used to run those stairs. Painful but healthful. I loved running from downtown into the tideflats and back.
I’ll miss those stairs.
Can we have an imprompu keg party on the bridge – just to say goodbye?
S stu miller June 21, 2008
I just got a call from my wife looks like they are raising it RIGHT NOW. Was planning a last walk very soon, maybe it’s too late.
T Thorax O'Tool June 21, 2008
@ 26:
I hope that’s not the case. But then again, on the bright side the extra 3 miles I’ll have to walk home will help take off that 15 pounds I’m trying to lose.
So, once again I was off work today at just the right time not to catch the bus. So on my way to the chalk-off, I climbed up on the catwalk for some pictures. Great view of the mountain from up there, you know. If I head down tomorrow and see the span up, I’ll flickrize this last group of pictures for y’all… including some fresh tagging that wasn’t there yesterday.
Now, this whole bridge fiasco is getting damn tiring. Ever heard the crude expression “Sh*t or get off the pot”? The city and state need to do that. Either fix the damn bridge or tear it down & replace it. Let’s just do something before the bridge rusts into oblivion (which would likely the emergence of the Foss area).
…besides, leaving it up “permanently” sounds like a serious public safety risk. That bridge deck is a good 50 feet wide or more. That’s a big gap with a very big drop (maybe 125-150 feet?). Not safe, unless they plan on putting up 12’ chain link fences with razor wire at top… and we wonder why Tacoma has a poor image compared to other major Puget Sound cities.
T Thorax O'Tool June 21, 2008
@ 23…
Those pictures are fantastic! I especially like the one of them against the “This is a dream”.
Nice.
C Claudia Riedener June 21, 2008
If it is not safe on top of the Murray Morgan, how about underneath? What does that mean for tallships?
How about a bit of public information?
N NSHDscott June 21, 2008
Thanks Thorax!
And good question, Claudia. If the bridge is in such danger of collapse, why only worry about people on the bridge, and forget about people under the bridge?
M Mike the Railroad Fan June 22, 2008
I was wondering when they were going to raise the bridge so the Tall Ships can get through the waterway..
Want to bet they lower the bridge after the Tall Ships leave town?
Any engineers out there who doubt the “stress on cables” is less when it’s open?
I would assume less when it’s down since the bridge section has an overlap on each end where the deck that goes up sits.
Typical City bullshit…. when are they gonna fix this? When the City decides to put in a Road Improvement district and tax our ass! So instead of the State fixing it like they said they would (supposedly) Tacoma taxpayers will get it in the ass again.
Maybe we can put some more Chihuly Glass on Display on this bridge.
Oh and the “D” Street overpass took over 2 years to complete? Amazing. Didn’t take that long to put the overpass at Port of Tacoma Road over Hwy 509.
S Squid June 22, 2008
My inner conspiracy buff is kicking in. First take away the cars and those who drive to the tideflats get used to the extra 10 minutes it takes. Then eliminate pedestrians and get them used to not walking over the bridge for lunch. We graduatlly learn to live without it, thereby reducing public resistance to removing the structure without replacement.
I wonder what this will do to Urban Waters LEED platinum status? Alternative transportation options are big part of LEED – walking, biking, mass transportation, plus car-pooling, etc. By eliminating the bridge (and make no mistake, that is what this is about), it essentially takes away all the non-motorized commuting options for Urban Waters. If you are seeking LEED Platinum, every point is precious.
T Thorax O'Tool June 22, 2008
Well, it’s still down, so I suspect that Mike @ 31 is correct, they’ll just raise it for tall ships and not put it back down.
Now, if I’m not mistaken, wasn’t the state contractually obliged to either
1) repair to good working order or
2) replace the bridge
once the new 509 bridge opened?
Typical BS… if this were in Seattle or Bellevue, the state would just be throwing money at the project.
J Jenifer June 30, 2008
Can you tell me any more about the peregrine falcons that were living on the MM bridge? When, where did they go? Thanks, Jenifer
S Squid July 1, 2008
As one of the 40 who cross the bridge daily, I noticed a big drop in pigeon carcasses on the bridge about 6 months ago. Seems the falcons flew the coop around then. Oh wait, wasn’t that right around the time DOT announced the vehicular closure?
The plot thickens.