Two notes on the West Seattle Bridge this afternoon:
(SDOT photo – inside the bridge, waiting for concrete)
CONCRETE FOLLOW-UP: As reported here on Monday, striking concrete truckers say they are ready to return to work at three of the four companies involved in the labor dispute, to get concrete moving again for projects such as the West Seattle Bridge. Today, the companies issued a joint statement, saying only two of the companies had heard of Teamsters Local 174, but that they would be happy to welcome these drivers back to work. In the meantime, we have another update from SDOT this afternoon, after their earlier response, the bridge repair contractor Kraemer North America contacted the suppliers named in the Teamsters announcement: “We are working closely with Kraemer as they urgently seek a concrete supplier for the bridge and continue to order and assess the repair schedule. We talk to them every day about ways to move bridge repairs forward and minimize delays as much as possible.
HOLIDAY PLANNING UPDATE: Although we don’t know when the West Seattle Bridge will reopen, a community coalition of volunteers continues to plan celebrations. It is an entirely local effort, coordinated by the executive directors of the West Seattle Junction Association and Chamber of Commerce. The aim is twofold: both to celebrate the end of the shutdown, whenever it occurs, and to ensure that the rest of the region is invited to get back on this road. Nothing’s finalized yet, but the first thing you’ll probably hear about soon is a logo contest with a theme like “I survived the West Seattle Bridge closure” – they’ll be looking for a logo for the T- shirts and other merchandise. In terms of events, there’s talk of a bridge run/walk at some point before it reopens, followed by an afterparty and a “trade enablement” event/campaign after it reopens, as well than neighborhood-specific celebrations. So far, this is all privately funded, and one of the sub-committees is actively looking for sponsors, having signed STS Building Services (BMS sponsor) and Real Estate Compass as main sponsors.
