US$1.4 billion Seattle bridge replacement deal

Swedish contractor Skanska has been awarded the US$1.4 billion deal to replace the Portage Bay Bridge in the US city of Seattle in Washington State. Construction work is due to commence on August 2024 and will take until 2031 to complete.

The contract was awarded to the firm by the Washington State Department of Transportation. The new bridge will have to meet strict  seismic resiliency standards. It will have carpool lanes and lanes for public transit and will also feature facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.

The bridge carries SR 520 but the existing structure is ageing and no longer meets requirements. The project will include the construction of a landscaped lid between Seattle’s Roanoke Park and North Capitol Hill neighborhoods.