A: The Warren Avenue Bridge is the major connection between east and west Bremerton, but walkways on the bridge are extremely narrow – too narrow for wheelchairs and strollers to pass, and difficult for bicycles and pedestrians to pass as well. Pedestrians have been observed climbing on bridge handrails to pass wheelchairs. The posted speed limit for the bridge is 35 MPH, however speeding is a known issue.

This project proposes to add ADA-accessible pedestrian and bicycle facilities where none currently exist. Other improvements may include lighting and other features to enhance traffic safety and aesthetics.

A: The existing bridge includes four 11-foot vehicle lanes, four-foot shoulders, with a central median, and 3.5-foot walkways on each side of the bridge. Existing curb-to-curb width is 56 feet, with the overall deck measuring approximately 67.5 feet. Bridge length is 1,718 feet (approximately 1/3-mile). No bike lanes are included.

A: At just 3.5 feet, current walkways do not meet minimum ADA requirements and are too narrow for wheelchairs and pedestrians to safely pass. With no bike lanes, cyclists are forced to contend with high-speed traffic or use walkways. Other considerations: 

• The bridge is a central link in the City’s Bridge to Bridge Urban Trail system and needs a connection to be consistent with the City’s comprehensive and non-motorized transportation plans. 

• The bridge is the primary connection between east and west Bremerton, providing access to facilities such as Olympic College, healthcare and social services, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS), the ferry terminal, and other key destinations. 

• The Bremerton population has higher percentage of persons with ambulatory disabilities (needing ADA-compliant facilities) than elsewhere in Kitsap County or statewide averages.  

• Bremerton’s poverty rates are nearly double that of Kitsap County and well above statewide averages. As a result, rates of vehicle ownership are likely lower, too. Therefore, accessible walking and bicycling facilities are important to serve these communities. 

• Transit services, while helpful, are infrequent and often inconvenient for residents.

• The recently-completed SR-303 Corridor Study, prepared by the City of Bremerton and WSDOT, envisions extensive “active transportation” improvements both north and south of the bridge.

A: The bridge was completed in 1958, with landward portions constructed of concrete and the mid-section made of steel girders. The bridge is listed on the Washington Historic Registry and has been deemed eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The significant engineering feature of this bridge is its 606-foot, three-span, continuous riveted steel plate girder unit. When constructed in 1958, this was the longest continuous plate girder unit in the state. More information on the historic significance of the bridge can be found on the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form completed for the bridge in 2002.

A: Yes. At least three previous efforts have considered ways to improve multimodal conditions on the bridge, and to a large extent, this effort seeks to refine and implement recommendations made in the most recent plan (SR-303 Corridor Study). Key efforts include:

• SR-303 Corridor Study, 2021

• Bremerton Port Washington Trail: Trail Master Plan, 2005

• Warren Avenue Bridge Feasibility Study Workshop, 2016

A: Early coordination with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) suggested pathways narrower than study recommendations due to structural limitations and access for bridge maintenance trucks. In June of 2021, City Council requested further study of WSDOT’s proposed eight-foot pathway option and chose to proceed with a feasibility and alternatives analysis (which is this current effort), which will include a structural analysis, maintenance considerations, and many other criteria.

A: A structural analysis of the existing bridge is an important part of determining feasibility of the alternatives developed. The additional weight of proposed improvements, as well as reconfigurations of the traffic lanes on the bridge, can affect the existing structure’s ability to carry vehicle loads. Additionally, weight added to the bridge increases the demands on the existing structure during earthquakes. Alternatives will need to be configured to maintain available capacity for vehicle loadings and maintain resilience during earthquakes.

A: The “preferred alternative” selected by City Council during the first part of this project will be used to move forward into the final design/engineering phase. The final construction phase will occur once additional funding is secured.

A: The project team is currently preparing a feasibility analysis, which is scheduled to be complete in late-2022. After the study is complete and a preferred alternative is selected, design will last through 2025. Construction is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2027.

A: In 2019, the City received a $1.5M Washington State grant to design the project, intended to cover preliminary engineering and permitting for pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements, plus design of improvements on Warren Avenue to the south and north of the bridge, as identified in the separate SR-303 Corridor Study.

Construction funding of $25M was secured through the Moving Ahead Washington funding package approved during the 2022 legislative session