Why the Coast Guard opens Snohomish River drawbridges during rush hour

It’s no secret West Seattle drivers get frustrated when the Coast Guard opens the Lower Spokane Street Bridge during rush hour. But it turns out it’s not the only bridge in our area that prioritizes maritime traffic.

Eric Jacobs heard my Chokepoints story about the
Lower Spokane Street Bridge and asked me to check out the drawbridges on Highway 529 between Marysville and Everett.

“Why does the Coast Guard even allow marine traffic during rush hour?” he asked. “It seems silly to me to open these bridges during peak traffic for any reason.”

Highway 529 is a great alternate to I-5 between Marysville and Everett. It runs west of the freeway, with drawbridges on the Steamboat Slough and Snohomish River.

Last week, there were at least five openings across the Snohomish River Bridge for marine traffic between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. So I checked with the Coast Guard to see what the rules are for these drawbridges.

Chief Petty Officer Sara Mooers told me no one has ever asked that those openings be restricted during rush hours. The last time the rules were modified for openings on Highway 529 was 1984. The last time anyone asked for a temporary rule on those drawbridges was in 1996.

Boats only need to give one hour notice if they need the Snohomish River Bridge opened. They need four hours notice for the Steamboat Slough drawbridge.

If someone or some agency were to request the Coast Guard put off openings during rush hour, it would hold hearings and take public comment. There would be no guarantee the request would be granted.

The Snohomish River, like the Duwamish River in Seattle, is a big commercial maritime route. The openings are not just for pleasure craft. A lot of lumber and concrete shipments use the Snohomish River.

It appears the openings will continue unless someone requests the Coast Guard change the rules.