Edgewater Bridge reopening expected April 28

The bridge over troubled waters is nearly completed. The long-awaited reopening of the Edgewater Bridge is now expected on Tuesday, April, 28, following construction delays that pushed the timeline beyond the original December 2025 target.

The bridge, which carries West Mukilteo Boulevard over Edgewater Creek between Everett and Mukilteo, has been closed since October 2024 as part of a $34 million replacement project. Everett City officials say the updated schedule reflects challenges encountered during construction, including unstable soil conditions and unexpected subsurface obstructions in the ravine below.

“Unstable soil made access for drilling and shaft work challenging and time consuming,” said Kathleen Baxter, communication and education manager for Everett Public Works. “Approximately 140 truckloads of unsuitable soils were removed during work on the substructure.”

Originally built in 1946, the Edgewater Bridge was considered structurally deficient and functionally obsolete.

The bridge served as a key arterial for the Boulevard Bluffs neighborhood and was used daily by residents, school buses, transit riders, ferry traffic and emergency responders. Officials emphasized that replacing the bridge was essential to maintaining access, particularly in the event of a major earthquake.

If two of the three bridges along West Mukilteo Boulevard were to fail during a seismic event, nearby neighborhoods could become isolated.

The project involved removing the original 366-foot-long, 60-foot-tall concrete bridge and constructing a new, seismically resilient structure over a deep ravine.

To complete the work, crews built two temporary work platforms north of the old bridge. These platforms allowed construction of the new bridge, which included four 100-foot columns, before being removed.

The tight construction zone required specialized equipment and methods, including the use of cranes to maneuver drilling rigs. Crews also worked to protect sensitive habitat in Edgewater Creek and stabilized steep surrounding slopes.

Officials said there was no economically feasible way to keep the bridge partially open during construction due to the geography and complexity of the site.

During the closure, drivers have been detoured along SR 525, SR 526 and Glenwood Avenue/Merrill Creek Parkway. Travel times have increased by an estimated five to 15 minutes depending on the route.

There has been no pedestrian access across the bridge during construction, and that will continue until additional work is completed after reopening. Once the bridge opens to traffic, pedestrians will need to wait until sidewalks are finished. Bicyclists will be able to use travel lanes in the interim, Baxter said.

The project team coordinated with the Mukilteo School District to manage impacts to bus routes, which have been detoured for part of the 2025–26 school year.

Construction also affected Edgewater Park, which has been partially or fully closed for staging. Park upgrades are planned once bridge work is complete.

The new bridge will maintain two travel lanes but add dedicated space for pedestrians and cyclists, including:

• 12-foot travel lanes in each direction;
• 6.5-foot sidewalks on both sides;
• 5-foot bike lanes between the roadway and sidewalks.

The structure is being built to modern seismic standards and includes design elements shaped by community input, such as updated railings, lighting and gateway features.

Funding for the project included $28 million in federal grants and $6 million in local funds.

Baxter said traffic is expected to resume in late April, but Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine announced at Monday’s City Council meeting that a ribbon cutting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Monday,
April 27, followed by its opening to traffic the next day.

The mayor said both the Mukilteo and Everett chambers of commerce will likely team up to help plan a celebration for the bridge re-opening.

“We’ll try to make it a party,” Marine said. “We’re bringing Everett back again. Our neighbors, we’ve missed them.”

Construction will continue afterward to complete paving, landscaping and pedestrian improvements.