New South Park Bridge expected to open within weeks

Credit: King County



SEATTLE -- The newly constructed South Park Bridge is expected to reopen at the end of June.

King County Executive Dow Constantine made the announcement Wednesday.

"I made a promise five years ago that we would build a new, safer bridge to connect our industrial heartland to the rest of King County -- and we're ready to deliver," said Constantine in a statement.

"Not only will this help local manufacturers and family-owned businesses, it will reunite working communities in the Lower Duwamish area."

The previous drawbridge was built in 1931, but had to be torn down in 2012 because of serious safety concerns.

The new bridge is expected to handle 20,000 cars and 3,000 heavy-duty trucks each day.  Roughly 10-million tons of freight is also expected to pass over the bridge each year.