Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, Pontoon bridge across Lake Washington, Seattle, United States.
The Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, officially the Governor Albert D. Rosellini Bridge, was a four-lane floating bridge across Lake Washington between Medina and Seattle's Montlake neighborhood. Its 7,578-foot floating section rested on 33 prestressed concrete pontoons, the largest 110 meters long and 6,700 tons, held by steel cables anchored to 62 lakebed concrete anchors. The roadway sat 3.9 meters above the water, and a central drawspan raised two 100-foot steel grids about 7 feet for tall boats.
The original structure opened in 1963 to serve the region's growing transportation needs. It was replaced in 2016 with a modern design to handle increased traffic demand.
The bridge carries the name of Governor Albert D. Rosellini, recognizing his role in advancing transportation in Washington during the 1960s. It represents the city's growth and connection to its eastern communities.
The 1963 bridge had no emergency shoulders and no pedestrian or bicycle crossings, so a breakdown or wreck blocked a lane and backed up traffic. In high winds WSDOT closed the floating span to traffic, and the drawspan was opened when gusts exceeded 80 km/h for a quarter of an hour. A 35-cent toll in each direction was collected until June 22, 1979; the disused tollbooths became a Metro Transit bus stop.
The drawspan opened by lifting two 100-foot steel grids about 7 feet and sliding a pontoon beneath them; it also opened when gusts exceeded 80 km/h for a quarter hour, to relieve wind and wave stress. An electrical fault opened it during rush hour in 1989, killing one person and injuring five.
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