Evergreen Point Floating Bridge

Evergreen Point Floating Bridge on State Route 520 opened to traffic 49 years ago today on August 28, 1963. The toll was 35¢; the fee was removed in 1979. It was renamed "Albert. D. Rosellini Bridge" in 1988 after the governor who pushed for its construction. More from History Link here. This was the second floating bridge built on Lake Washington - the first Lake Washington Floating Bridge called "Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge" opened in 1940.

Seattle Municipal Archives has this "under construction" photo dated the week before the 1962 Seattle World's Fair opened. 



"Evergreen Point Floating Bridge. This view of Seattle's newest floating bridge looks from the west shore of Lake Washington to the ever expanding metropolitan area on the east shore which this new bridge serves. C-291 Ektachrome by Clifford B. Ellis"


"World's Longest Floating Bridge Seattle, Washington. The Evergreen Point Bridge and its approaches are nearly 6 miles long. The height of the roadway above Lake Washington can vary from 8-59 feet. The bridge was constructed by the Washington Toll Bridge Authority and includes 18 floating sections with a total of 62 anchors. Construction was completed in 3 years and cost approximately $34,000,000."


I had a view of the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge from my University of Washington dorm room at McCarty Hall 1981-1982:
This was a January 1982 snowy sunrise with vapor swirling from Lake Washington

From College-UWash

Some awesome Historic Archive Photos of the Evergreen Point Floating 520 Bridge can be found here.
Check out Kurt Clark's post with a photo from Bellevue High School's 1972 yearbook: Friday Single Shot #28 – 520 Toll Booths
Also be sure to see Vintage Seattle Past Post: When The 520 Bridge Was New.
Those of you still in the area know the bridge is being upgraded and that the toll was re-introduced last year.  The toll rate depends on the time of day- it can be as high as $5.13 one way.
Click here for Current Work on the SR 520 Floating Bridge project.