There is a score of reasons that indicate that the construction of the #Magnolia Bridge is not a feasible decision. The reasons ranging from the budgetary allocations and possible damage to the historical sites and public utilities, all indicate that spending a humongous amount of money on the bridge is no way a sensible and prudent decision. Thus, the Seattle Department of Transportation should not maneuver the funds for the Magnolia Bridge.
The first and foremost issue is that the budget for the construction of the Magnolia Bridge exceeds the annual budget of the Seattle Department of Transportation. For instance, in 2017, the estimated cost for the construction of the Magnolia Bridge spanned from $350 to $420 million. In the same year, the annual budget of the Seattle Department of Transportation was $450 million that came from a range of sources including taxes, fees, and charges for service, the city’s general fund, grants, and bonds. The limited budget of the agency is undoubtedly insufficient for the construction of the bridge and other scheduled tasks of the Seattle Department of Transportation.
Meanwhile, The Seattle Department of Transport has halted a series of ongoing transportation projects due to economic fallout caused by the COVID19 pandemic. The Director of #SDOT has also raised concerns for fiscal constraints and budget shortfalls. Amid this financial crunch, the rebuilding of the bridge can be one of the most burdensome projects for the agency that is already bearing the brunt of the financial crisis. therefore it is more viable to complete the ongoing projects that are in the last stage of completion rather than diverting the budget to the construction of Magnolia Bridge.
Apart from the massive financial constraints, the reconstruction of the bridge might have several other adverse impacts. For instance, there is a cluster of maritime businesses located in close proximity to bridges. During the construction, they will be relocated. Additionally, it will affect the large minority and LEP workforce. Besides, the historical site like Admirals House is also located in the project area. The construction of the Bridge will impact the access to Admiral’s House and cause damage to the archaeological site. In addition to that, nine parks and two historic resources are situated in the vicinity of the project. Three parks and one historic site would severely be affected by the erection of Magnolia Bridge.
Likewise, the construction of the Bridge would result in the suspension of educational activities nearby. It will also relocate utility services. There are chances of relocation or even abandonment of affected electric power, telecommunication and sanitary sewer utilities. The temporary interruption of electric power, gas, and communication during the construction period would be unavoidable.
During March-April 2017, the week traffic counts on the three major Magnolia connection routes were compiled to identify the average weekday traffic volumes and volumes by time of day for the corridor. Combined, the three bridges served about 62,000 vehicles per day. W Emerson St had the highest weekday volume and the Magnolia Bridge had the lowest weekday volume of the three bridges. Besides, most of the trucks use Galer street flyover, south of Magnolia Bridge while entering and leaving the port of Seattle. Moreover, medium and large trucks account for just 1% of the traffic that crosses the Magnolia Bridge. Thus, the low volume of traffic also signals that spending a huge amount of money at the bridge having a low volume of traffic is not an appropriate measure.
It can be concluded that the construction of Magnolia Bridge during this tough economic situation will halt the completion of some necessary ongoing projects and might bring some financial problems for the agency. It is more viable if the resources are saved for more prolific and feasible projects.
