East Channel Bridge

The East Channel Bridge is a road bridge spanning Lake Washington to connect Mercer Island with Bellevue, built with two separate steel structures. Each span carries traffic in opposite directions and together they form a two-part crossing over the water.

The first bridge at this location opened in 1923, but today's traffic uses spans built starting in 1981. The westbound section was completed first, with the eastbound section added later.

The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail runs alongside the westbound bridge, giving walkers and cyclists views of the lake as they travel.

The bridge carries Interstate 90 traffic with no toll fees and serves thousands of daily commuters between Seattle's eastern suburbs. Walkers and cyclists should note that the parallel Greenway trail offers alternative routes.

The bridge consists of two completely separate steel structures sitting side by side, each carrying traffic in opposite directions. This unusual design allows repairs on one side to happen without stopping traffic on the other direction.

Location: Washington

Official opening: 1981

GPS coordinates: 47.57890,-122.20000

Latest update: December 12, 2025 07:57