What will be done with the old 520 Bridge pontoons?
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SEATTLE -- There's currently 31 million pounds of material holding up the 520 Bridge, and there are a range of ideas for what should be done with that material when the new bridge opens.
Conventional wisdom says the state will make some kind of pier or dock, or else crush the concrete and re-use it, but one woman tapped into some creative minds and now she has some other ideas.
The massive pontoons were put in place more than 50 years ago to make the bridge float. New pontoons have floated into Lake Washington for the new bridge, but Washington State University architectural student Sara Strouse has a soft spot in her heart for the old structure.
"There's 33 floating pontoons," she said. "They each weigh 9.5 million pounds about."
When the new bridge opens, something will have to be done with those old pontoons, and that's a question Strouse has spent some time pondering.
Her idea was to seek out other ideas. She did that by getting a few sponsors and some prize money and putting together an international competition.
The ideas soon came pouring in. Seventy-three concepts from 18 countries, and some of those are now being shown at the American Institute of Architects.
Imagine a center for the creation of tidal power, or a floating snowflake or a big floating farm on the lake. Other ideas take an apocalyptic turn, like turning the structures into floating boats for human survival in case of a flood of biblical proportions.
The ideas bridged the gap between the practical and the absurd.
"Then they span all the way to cemeteries, and there was even a space elevator," Strouse said. "'A space elevator. Somebody created a dock for a space elevator."
The winner has already been chosen, but Strouse won't say which idea won.
"I can't, but if you want to know you can come tomorrow to the Seattle Design Festival event at 5:30 p.m., and you can hear the winner announced."
Somewhere, somebody is wondering if $3,000 is enough to build an elevator to space.
The judges were a team of architects and artists, and the winning idea will be delivered to KGM, which is the construction company that will ultimately decide what do do with those pontoon.
Conventional wisdom says the state will make some kind of pier or dock, or else crush the concrete and re-use it, but one woman tapped into some creative minds and now she has some other ideas.
The massive pontoons were put in place more than 50 years ago to make the bridge float. New pontoons have floated into Lake Washington for the new bridge, but Washington State University architectural student Sara Strouse has a soft spot in her heart for the old structure.
"There's 33 floating pontoons," she said. "They each weigh 9.5 million pounds about."
When the new bridge opens, something will have to be done with those old pontoons, and that's a question Strouse has spent some time pondering.
Her idea was to seek out other ideas. She did that by getting a few sponsors and some prize money and putting together an international competition.
The ideas soon came pouring in. Seventy-three concepts from 18 countries, and some of those are now being shown at the American Institute of Architects.
Imagine a center for the creation of tidal power, or a floating snowflake or a big floating farm on the lake. Other ideas take an apocalyptic turn, like turning the structures into floating boats for human survival in case of a flood of biblical proportions.
The ideas bridged the gap between the practical and the absurd.
"Then they span all the way to cemeteries, and there was even a space elevator," Strouse said. "'A space elevator. Somebody created a dock for a space elevator."
The winner has already been chosen, but Strouse won't say which idea won.
"I can't, but if you want to know you can come tomorrow to the Seattle Design Festival event at 5:30 p.m., and you can hear the winner announced."
Somewhere, somebody is wondering if $3,000 is enough to build an elevator to space.
The judges were a team of architects and artists, and the winning idea will be delivered to KGM, which is the construction company that will ultimately decide what do do with those pontoon.
Hydroplane Race Obstacles of course!
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Better yet - put in a mechanism so that they are submerged part of the time and simply 'surface' at random locations and times around the course..
It's too bad they couldn't use some of them to make a dock so people could watch the hydro's.
I don't know if they can fit through the ballard lochs. If they can some of them could be brought through to make artificial reefs as others have suggested. Or put a few together to make a dock for fisherman.
Better hang on to a bunch for spares, what with the new ones cracking before they are even launched.
Good point.
Why throw more money at it that we don't have?
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Just sink the damn thing.
I don't think any of these ideas will be used. But I love the idea of sparking the imagination of these artists! My kids loved the idea and came up with a couple of their own. (A floating, traveling circus!)
I hope some of these creative uses are actually used, rather than the things just being crushed up for fill. I don't know what #11 is but I like it. And the two ideas using them on Lake Union are very interesting.
PUT A COUPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKES MAKE A LIL CABIN WITH SUNROOF AND A Â BEDÂ AND HAVE A BBQ AND PICNIC TABLEÂ AND RENT EM BY THE NITE LIKE A CAMP SITE!
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Though the NIMBY won't like it, add another bridge (for Bus / HOV only) Sand Point, connecting to Kirkland (Central way / 85th) wich would releave a lot of traffic on 520.
If only Ivar were still around...a great chain of restaurants!
 @OrcasThunder Oh, but the old seadog IS still around. Some are even trying to get a good craft to hang his name on.
 @FreeCoffeeNow! It better be a REALLY good one to be worthy of the name...
I don't know about you, but I'd do a study to see what to do with them. How much could that cost, like a million dollars. Meh! Chump change.
 @jelisized Please, don't give them any ideas!
use it underwater for reef and for us divers to explore.
 @Anthony Tuttle Now that seems to be the best idea by far that I've read. Take some of the pontoons and make them into artificial reefs for sea life and divers. Awesome idea Anthony!
 @Glen  @Anthony Tuttle You can't have SEA LIFE in a lake, remember that. When is the last time a reef was formed or existed in a lake? I understand you idea about sinking them and use them for diving and exploration and maybe "somekind" of habitat for "Aquatic Life Forms".
We could make platforms for all manner of exploration or processing on the water. We could use these to get us offshore and into manganese nodule collection, which brings us to more serious mining locations while making damn good money. More than some petty houses on a no brainer.
Great, make something for the rich to enjoy.
 @JD If the rich pay for it, what concern of yours is it?
Interesting ideas, but how would you move them?
We were visiting the D-Day sites last week in France, and were surprised to see similar pontoons on display there. Â They had floating bridges back in 1944.
 @Doxie They float don't they? Move the old ones just like the new ones are getting moved from Aberdeen.
 @RTNavy Yes, of course.  But some of those ideas involve land (cemeteries).
 @Doxie The Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge (I-90 Eastbound today) bridge opened in 1940!
 @AJ Fite Ack, I knew that!  Sorry just meant I thought it strange that they took the trouble to erect a similar thing in preparation for D-Day back during WWII.  It's no small undertaking!  Thanks, AJ, for the reminder!