Transportation officials in Washington will soon begin camera enforcement for unauthorized Low Bridge use.
Starting on January 11, the Seattle Department of Transportation will activate a new enforcement cameras on the West Seattle Low Bridge in an attempt to curb traffic and to allow authorized vehicles to travel more quickly to and from West Seattle. Unauthorized users will be cited $75 per use of the Low Bridge.
The seven lane West Seattle High-Rise Bridge was closed in March 2020, which is leading some drivers to try to sneak onto the two lane Low Bridge during restricted hours rather than to use approved alternate routes.
Who Can Use the Low Bridge
- Emergency vehicles
- Transit vehicles (King County Metro buses and school buses)
- Freight vehicles
- People walking, rolling, using a scooter, or biking
- Employer shuttles
- Vanpools
- Pre-authorized vehicles
- All Personal vehicles at night (from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily)
Who Cannot Use the Low Bridge
- Taxis and ride-hail app vehicles like Uber and Lyft (from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily)
- Personal vehicles, including motorcycles, during the day (from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily)
“Know that we are doing what we can to help people who continue to drive cars and freight trucks, and ride bikes, by updating the markings on the road, adjusting signal timing, and improving road signs. We are working with nearby communities to prioritize projects that will reduce the impact of increased detour traffic; prioritizing transit connections to and from West Seattle; building new bicycle projects; and establishing and improving detour routes,” the Seattle Department of Transportation said in a blog post.
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