The Lacey V. Murrow Floating Bridge, USA

Lake Washington, located in Seattle, is approximately 1.6 to 4.8 km wide and 32 km long. The water depth in most parts is 30 to 60 m. The bottom of the lake consists of another 60 m of very soft clay, silt, and organic material. These soft deposits are incapable of supporting foundations. Floating bridges have been found to be the most cost-effective structural type to span across Lake Washington. For crossing large body of water with unusual depth and soft bottom like Lake Washington, a floating bridge is estimated to cost 3 to 5 times less than a long span fixed bridge, tube or tunnel. This article briefly describes the design and construction of the new Lacey V. Murrow Floating Bridge on Lake Washington.