Murray Morgan Cabling Delayed 'til January
With the fall of the Luzon, the question on the status of other landmarks has come up. For example, we’ve had a number of friends ask us about the future of the Murray Morgan Bridge. While its future is not guaranteed, we keep saying that work is supposed to begin any day now – at least on the cables. Well, we caught this little tidbit in Eric Anderson’s memo to City Council from last week:
This week the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) informed the City that the Wire Rope Replacement project on the Murray Morgan Bridge has been delayed until January 2010. WSDOT’s contractor had planned to close the bridge for construction starting October 19th for seven weeks. However, during WSDOT’s inspection of their contractor’s wire rope manufacturer, they determined that it did not meet the specification to use materials made in the United States. The new bridge closure schedule will be determined after their contractor revises the construction schedule.
On the larger issue of the future of the bridge, the City is continuing negotiations with the State on the turnback agreement. Meetings were held this week with WSDOT and the Federal Highway Administration, and additional meetings have been scheduled with the Secretary of Transportation to negotiate terms.
A little delay won’t hurt … right?
Filed under: murray-morgan-bridge, tacoma-landmarks
15 comments
M MattMike October 6, 2009
Delaying work/renovations on historically important structures has never had any ill-effect in Tacoma. I jest.
R RR Anderson October 6, 2009
this makes me feel less ‘safe and clean’
T Thorax O'Tool October 6, 2009
Hey, if they wait long enough, it’ll just fall into the Foss eventually… and serve as a reef for strange, bizarre mutant Northern Pacific corals.
S Sultan of Swing October 7, 2009
Hey folks, this is just the kind of delay that brought down the Luzon. That place was given a stay of execution for 23 years. The Murray Morgan Bridge was also given a stay of execution, but I don’t think it has 23 years, not with the DOT involved. The time is now, or it will end up demolished or end up at the bottom of the Thea Foss. Pony up!
J Jesse October 7, 2009
This bridge is going to be a money pit for Tacoma. It’s a cool bridge but I can think of better things to do with the money.
Mark my words: It will take much more than the $80 million suggested to restore it. Being involved in many of the bridge restorations in Portland, they seem to all go way over budget. Is it worth it? Where does this bridge go that other close-by roads don’t? How much commerce would an open bridge create for DT Tacoma?
If you love this bridge, now is the time to save it. Show up at meetings, be a pain to the decision makers, do all you can.
C crenshaw sepulveda October 7, 2009
Why did they even bother to name the bridge after the northwest’s great historian? What a poor gesture it would be if the bridge is not renovated.
A Altered Chords October 7, 2009
I love that bridge. I jogged up and down the stairs and over it just last night. I jumped up and down a few times and it seems OK. No need to do any work on it. Open it up. It’s fine.
S Sultans of Swing October 7, 2009
Really? Did you drive your fully loaded tank truck over it, too?
T T-town October 7, 2009
Funny, other 11th Street Bridge (Cristo Bridge) that is basically going from nowhere to nowhere (courtesy Port of Tacoma), is being worked on. Who is paying for that one? And what ever happen to the Port’s and Norm Dicks promise to fix the Murray Morgan if the city does not allow condos “over there”? Well, there are no condos. What’s with keeping the word? Council Apathy in full swing again.
C crenshaw sepulveda October 7, 2009
Do we really want to build more condos that will end up in foreclosure?
T T-town October 8, 2009
No, not saying that. Just that there are no residents on the other side of the Foss. That is what the Port wanted. So now I think they should stand by the promise to fix the Murray Morgan.
If they (or whoever) are fixing the bridge to nowhere, please take care of the Murray Morgan too.
M Mofo from the Hood October 9, 2009
Look, the bridge is going to get fixed.
It’s just hard these days to find good wire rope cables.
A artifacts October 10, 2009
Please don’t say our loud that the bridge makes you nervous or feel unsafe. The hair trigger public works engineers will have it demolished before the tide comes in.
Let all keep in mind that the same people who brought you Luzon as rubble are in charge of fixing the Morgan Bridge.
C crenshaw sepulveda October 10, 2009
I really like the Highline park, a terrofic adaptation. I always thought that the Morgan could become a trailer park for Vintage Airstream trailers. They could probably park quite a few on it and it would make for an amazing community and quite the oddity for the tourists to see.
S Squid October 13, 2009
Sultans@8: You must be new. If Altered Chords has declared the bridge safe, it’s good enough for me.