Under typical Northwest autumn weather, Pontoon L arrived in Seattle, after a four day journey from Aberdeen, Wash. to Lake Washington. Pontoon L is the 65th pontoon to arrive in Seattle, out of a total 77 pontoons needed to construct the new SR 520 floating bridge.

Visit the SR 520 pontoon tracker page for the latest updates on pontoon movements.

This bridge replaced the historic floating bridge on Lake Okanagan in 2008.

Seen from Knox Mountain - 90mm with a 4.6 second exposure.

Six more SR 520 supplemental stability pontoons are towed out of their Tacoma casting basin in pairs each evening, as the high tides allow.

Beginning July 27, 2013, crews floated eight supplemental stability pontoons out of the casting basin in which they were constructed, at the Concrete Technology Corporation site in Tacoma, WA. These pontoons are the third of six of cycles of pontoons to be completed at this site.

After each cycle, pontoons are inspected and temporarily moored prior to being towed to Lake Washington and used in assembly of the new SR 520 floating bridge.

Once the assisting T-pontoon is attached to the two supplemental stability pontoons, a tug boat (behind the pontoons) tows them out of the basin. A skiff assists from the other side. The Terilyn, a second tug, awaits alongside, in preparation for the short trip to Commencement Bay.

Beginning July 27, 2013, crews floated eight supplemental stability pontoons out of the casting basin in which they were constructed, at the Concrete Technology Corporation site in Tacoma, WA. These pontoons are the third of six of cycles of pontoons to be completed at this site.

After each cycle, pontoons are inspected and temporarily moored prior to being towed to Lake Washington and used in assembly of the new SR 520 floating bridge.

Pontoon G, the 75th of 77 SR 520 pontoons to arrive on Lake Washington, passes Seattle’s iconic Space Needle as it journeys through Lake Union on its way to the new bridge.

Build your own set of pontoons by visiting our website.

Cascade Bicycle Club (CBC) Executive Director Elizabeth Kiker announces the CBC Emerald City Bike Ride, which will include 8- mile and 20-mile options that include the new SR 520 floating bridge. The bike ride will take place Sunday morning, April 3.

For more information and to register for the ride, visit www.520golong.com.

Port Moody, BC Canada

Sasamat Lake is located within Belcarra Regional Park in Port Moody, British Columbia. It is one of the warmest lakes in Greater Vancouver. At the south end of the lake there is a floating bridge, used for fishing or swimming. At the north end of the lake is White Pine Beach.

(Wikipedia)

This is one of the warmest lakes in Metro Vancouver ! There is a nice easy trail around the lake, with minimal elevation gain. This place can get very crowded in the summer because it has two great sandy beaches (White Pine Beach). There is a very sturdy floating bridge across the lane with two wharves for fishing or jumping off. The lake has an area of about 45 ha (111 acres) and a perimeter of 3.2 kms.

Image best viewed in Large screen. Thank-you for your visit, and any comments or faves are much appreciated! ~Sonja

Photo © Tristan Savatier - All Rights Reserved - License this photo on www.loupiote.com/11458896923

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Pontoon floating bridge over Ganges river, at the Kumbh Mela 2013 festival near Allahabad (India).

Looks amazing when viewed in high-resolution.

Hindu devotees are taking the ritual bath in the Ganges river, while a large crowd takes part in a procession with the all the Ashram Gurus on decorated floats, on the pontoon bridge.

This was the Kumbh Maha Snan or main bathing day, also called Mauni Amavasya, which is the the most auspicious day for taking the holy bath in the Ganges river.

This bridge is one of the 18 temporary pontoon bridges (i.e. floating bridges) installed during the Kumbh Mela.

This pontoon bridge is over the Ganges (Ganga) river. Those floating bridges are built on top of large empty metal tanks, and are anchored to the river bottom with ropes on the upstream side of the bridge. Those bridges can support trucks up to 10 Tons, but to be safe, the maximum weight was set to 5 Tons. Those bridges are mostly used for pedestrian traffic. During high affluence periods when large crowds are crossing the floating bridges, bridges are one-way, with alternating direction for each other bridge. This rule was taken after a stampede in a previous year caused the bridge railing to fail and many people to fall in the river and drawn (most of the Hindu pilgrims cannot swim!).

The water was very low in the Ganges river at the time, so in fact this bridge was not floating, but just sitting on the sandy bottom of the shallow river.

Kumbh Mela is the largest festival on Earth, taking place once every 12 years, with more than 50 million Hindu pilgrims gathering to pray and bathe in the holy Ganges river.

For more photos and info about the Kumbh Mela festival, read the album description.

If you like this photo, follow me on instagram (tristan_sf) and don't hesitate to leave a comment or email me.

The first of many obstacles on this journey through the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks!

The new 14-foot bicycle and pedestrian path takes shape on the new SR 520 floating bridge near Medina looking west toward Seattle.

The new path will connect cyclist and runners between Seattle and the Eastside beginning in summer 2017 after the new West Approach Bridge North project is complete.

More information about the new SR 520 floating bridge is available on our website.

Crews have begun the second segment of balanced cantilever construction near Medina, this time they’re working from Pier 1. Once complete later this year, a continuous section of roadway will span from Pier 3 on land in Medina all the way to Pontoon W, creating the first continuous section of roadway between land and the new floating bridge.

For more information on balanced cantilever construction, see page 2 of our May 2013 Construction Newsletter.

SR 520 Program Media Manager Steve Peer introduces the new Grand Opening (GO) website, 520golong.com.

For more information, visit www.520golong.com.

The pontoon has little extra room on each side as it passes through the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks on June 7, 2013. The pontoons were designed to fit through the locks after traveling from their construction site in Aberdeen, Wash.

After a four-day journey from Aberdeen, Wash. Pontoon BNW enters the Ship Canal in Ballard, before making its way to the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. Pontoon BNW was the 38th pontoon to arrive on Lake Washington, out of a total 77 pontoons needed to construct the new SR 520 floating bridge. Build your own Pontoon BNW by visiting our website.

Crews lower the final low-rise roadway deck section for the new SR 520 floating bridge as members of the media watch and capture the moment.

Using a barge-mounted crane, crews lowered the last of 776 precast, interlocking roadway deck sections onto the new floating bridge. The setting of this final, 100-ton deck section came less than a year after crews set the first low-rise roadway deck section on Sept. 8, 2014. More information about the new SR 520 floating bridge is available on our website.

Pontoon H was greeted by a crowd of fans at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Ballard after a four day journey from Aberdeen, WA. Pontoon H is the 76th pontoon to arrive in Seattle out of the 77 pontoons needed for the new SR 520 floating bridge. Build your own Pontoon H by visiting our website.

More information about the new SR 520 floating bridge is available on our website.

Roadway for the new SR 520 floating bridge is quickly taking shape as crews make steady progress in installing 776 low-rise roadway deck sections. Just south of the new bridge, traffic can be seen on the existing floating bridge.

More information about the new SR 520 floating bridge is available on our website.

The first three girders are carefully aligned with the pin before being set into place on Pier 1. The smooth, curved faces on the pin allow the transition span to move like a hinge when the floating section of the bridge moves with the lake.

On Friday, June 27 crews working to construct a new SR 520 floating bridge installed a large hinged transition span that connects the moveable, floating bridge to the stationary, elevated bridge segment near Lake Washington’s eastern shore. The transition span is composed of five steel girders, each 190 feet long and 45 tons. Check out where the transition span will be and how it works.

The gate of the casting basin was removed early in the morning of Jan. 28, 2013. Once the gate was pulled, high tide filled the basin, allowing crews to move in with tug boats to tow them out into the open water.

Despite low visibility some Seattle area residents welcomed Pontoon R as it made its way into the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Ballard.

Crews placed asphalt throughout the eastside corridor of SR 520 during the full weekend closure from June 6-9, 2014. Good weather and long days allowed crews to smooth out large swaths of highway with the new asphalt surface.

Photo © Tristan Savatier - All Rights Reserved - License this photo on www.loupiote.com/11229453235

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This is one of the 18 temporary pontoon bridges (i.e. floating bridges) installed during the Kumbh Mela 2013 festival near Allahabad (India).

This pontoon bridge is over the Ganges (Ganga) river. Those floating bridges are built on top of large empty metal tanks, and are anchored to the river bottom with ropes on the upstream side of the bridge. Those bridges can support trucks up to 10 Tons, but to be safe, the maximum weight was set to 5 Tons. Those bridges are mostly used for pedestrian traffic. During high affluence periods when large crowds are crossing the floating bridges, bridges are one-way, with alternating direction for each other bridge. This rule was taken after a stampede in a previous year caused the bridge railing to fail and many people to fall in the river and drawn (most of the Hindu pilgrims cannot swim!).

The water was very low in the Ganges river at the time, so in fact this bridge was not floating, but just sitting on the sandy bottom of the shallow river.

Kumbh Mela is the largest festival on Earth, taking place once every 12 years, with more than 50 million Hindu pilgrims gathering to pray and bathe in the holy Ganges river.

For more photos and info about the Kumbh Mela festival, read the album description.

If you like this photo, follow me on instagram (tristan_sf) and don't hesitate to leave a comment or email me.

This is the floating bridge at Brooks River in Katmai National Park. Floating bridge has a lot of bear and human interactions. The rangers call it a “bear jam,” which means, when there are bears in the area humans cannot use the bridge. The park feels this is a happy experience; visitors spending hours of their vacation time waiting. Elevating the bridge could alleviate this problem. This floating bridge has out lived its usefulness and should have been replaced with an elevated bridge decades ago.

Presently the bears have to come out of the river to go around the bridge. Many stroll along and some stop to take a long nap.

Cost to replace the 1,550 feet long floating bridge, with an elevated one and make more viewing platforms is $7.4 million to $13 million. ($ 4,774 to $8.387 per foot) who will profit, a campaign contributor or relatives? In any case it is a failure the public and parks will shoulder.

Photo © Tristan Savatier - All Rights Reserved - License this photo on www.loupiote.com/14196678314

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High resolution panorama of two of the 18 temporary pontoon bridges (i.e. floating bridges) installed during the Kumbh Mela 2013 festival near Allahabad (India).

Looks amazing when viewed in high-resolution.

These pontoon bridges are over the Ganges (Ganga) river. Those floating bridges are built on top of large empty metal tanks, and are anchored to the river bottom with ropes on the upstream side of the bridge. Those bridges can support trucks up to 10 Tons, but to be safe, the maximum weight was set to 5 Tons. Those bridges are mostly used for pedestrian traffic. During high affluence periods when large crowds are crossing the floating bridges, bridges are one-way, with alternating direction for each other bridge. This rule was taken after a stampede in a previous year caused the bridge railing to fail and many people to fall in the river and drawn (most of the Hindu pilgrims cannot swim!).

The water was very low in the Ganges river at the time, so in fact this bridge was not floating, but just sitting on the sandy bottom of the shallow river.

Kumbh Mela is the largest festival on Earth, taking place once every 12 years, with more than 50 million Hindu pilgrims gathering to pray and bathe in the holy Ganges river.

This stitched image was produced from multiple exposures with the Sony in-camera stitching software.

For more photos and info about the Kumbh Mela festival, read the album description.

If you like this photo, follow me on instagram (tristan_sf) and don't hesitate to leave a comment or email me.

Photo © Tristan Savatier - All Rights Reserved - License this photo on www.loupiote.com/11458901413

Share this photo on: facebook • twitter • more...

Pontoon floating bridge over Ganges river, at the Kumbh Mela 2013 festival near Allahabad (India).

Looks amazing when viewed in high-resolution.

Hindu devotees are taking the ritual bath in the Ganges river, while a large crowd takes part in a procession with the all the Ashram Gurus on decorated floats, on the pontoon bridge.

This was the Kumbh Maha Snan or main bathing day, also called Mauni Amavasya, which is the the most auspicious day for taking the holy bath in the Ganges river.

This bridge is one of the 18 temporary pontoon bridges (i.e. floating bridges) installed during the Kumbh Mela.

This pontoon bridge is over the Ganges (Ganga) river. Those floating bridges are built on top of large empty metal tanks, and are anchored to the river bottom with ropes on the upstream side of the bridge. Those bridges can support trucks up to 10 Tons, but to be safe, the maximum weight was set to 5 Tons. Those bridges are mostly used for pedestrian traffic. During high affluence periods when large crowds are crossing the floating bridges, bridges are one-way, with alternating direction for each other bridge. This rule was taken after a stampede in a previous year caused the bridge railing to fail and many people to fall in the river and drawn (most of the Hindu pilgrims cannot swim!).

The water was very low in the Ganges river at the time, so in fact this bridge was not floating, but just sitting on the sandy bottom of the shallow river.

Kumbh Mela is the largest festival on Earth, taking place once every 12 years, with more than 50 million Hindu pilgrims gathering to pray and bathe in the holy Ganges river.

For more photos and info about the Kumbh Mela festival, read the album description.

If you like this photo, follow me on instagram (tristan_sf) and don't hesitate to leave a comment or email me.

Tugboats Solana and Mudcat guide Pontoon O safely through the Ship Canal as it makes its way to Lake Washington. Pontoon O is the 34th pontoon to arrive on Lake Washington, out of a total of 77 pontoons needed to construct the new SR 520 floating bridge. Visit the SR 520 pontoon tracker page for the latest updates on pontoon movements.

the old Floating Bridge terminus, Woolston

SR 520 Program Director Julie Meredith describes the float-out process to a KOMO TV reporter. “We’ve now finished 38 of 77 pontoons needed for a new SR 520 floating bridge that will serve the region for 75 years or more,” said Meredith.

Construction crews working on the SR 520 Pontoon Construction Project took advantage of an extra-high tide Oct. 5, 2013, to float six concrete pontoons into the Chehalis River. These pontoons comprise the third of six pontoon construction cycles and are destined for Lake Washington to form the backbone of the new SR 520 floating bridge.

In early December 2013 crews completed the first segment of balanced cantilever construction work connecting Piers 2 and 3. Once crews complete roadway support structures, or pier tables, at Pier 1 they will begin building a second segment of balanced cantilever spans to connect with Pier 2 and Pontoon W.

The crew watches as the 58th anchor is lowered into the depths of Lake Washington.

This photo and the following photo were taken moments apart.

Isle of Wight Coast Path | Ryde to West Cowes

In this photo we can see the columns for Pier 1 starting to take shape as they rise above the surface of the Lake. For a sense of the scale of this work, notice the construction crews working on the south column (on the left in this image).

Pier 1 for the new Floating Bridge is in Lake Washington near Medina.

As part of Cycle 1 pontoon repairs, construction workers have been building this coffer cell to make repairs to Pontoons U and V. The coffer cell will create a dry area at the end and bottom of the pontoon, allowing workers to make repairs without removing the pontoons from Lake Washington.

Repairs must be completed on the lake because the pontoons have already been joined with their supplemental pontoons, making them too large to fit through the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks.

Pontoon F, the 77th of 77 pontoons needed for the new SR 520 floating bridge arrives at its new home on Lake Washington late on Thursday, April 9, after a four-day journey from Aberdeen.

More information about the new SR 520 floating bridge is available on our website.

There are five resting areas, or belvederes, along the 14-foot bike and pedestrian path on north side of the new SR 520 floating bridge. This one is under construction, awaiting the textured glass windscreen, final railing and interpretive sign.

Pontoon LSW makes its way to Lake Washington as it passes by Fishermen's Terminal near Ballard in Seattle.

Built in Tacoma, Wash., Pontoon LSW is the 58th pontoon to arrive on Lake Washington, out of a total 77 pontoons needed to support the new SR 520 floating bridge. Visit the SR 520 pontoon tracker page for the latest updates on pontoon movements.

Pontoon C arrives on Lake Washington as it passes by iconic Husky Stadium, the greatest setting in college football. Built in Aberdeen, Wash., Pontoon C was the 47th pontoon to arrive on Lake Washington, out of a total 77 pontoons needed to construct the new SR 520 floating bridge.

Visit the SR 520 pontoon tracking page for the latest updates on pontoon movements.

As the waters of Lake Washington take a break from this year’s winter storms, construction crews continue to make progress in building a new SR 520 floating bridge. In Medina, the new bridge is beginning to take shape as new roadway begins to stretch out over the shoreline and new sound walls are installed on the north side of the roadway. Farther afield, looking west toward Seattle, construction continues on the West Connection Bridge. Drivers and transit riders can expect to begin using the new bridge in spring 2016. (This photo was taken looking west towards Seattle.)

Looking west toward Seattle, the new SR 520 floating bridge takes shape on Lake Washington just north of the existing floating bridge. Once complete, the new bridge will feature transit/HOV lanes in each direction, shoulders and a bicycle/pedestrian path that will provide greater reliability and more options to accommodate growth in the region.

More information about the new SR 520 floating bridge is available on our website.

Pontoon F and its crew wait as they make the transition for saltwater to fresh water at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. The banner was signed by crew and guests at the celebration of the completion of pontoon construction in Aberdeen, WA.

More information about the new SR 520 floating bridge is available on our website.

As twilight begins to set in, Pontoon F passes through Portage Bay near the University of Washington in Seattle. Pontoon F is the last and final pontoon needed for the new SR 520 floating bridge to arrive in Seattle. All 77 pontoons needed for the new bridge are now on Lake Washington. Build your own Pontoon F by visiting our website.

More information about the new SR 520 floating bridge is available on our website.

A set of three girders are lifted into the air by a large derrick barge. Tugboats will tow the derrick and suspended girders closer to their final location between the stationary Pier 1 and floating Pontoon W.

On Friday, June 27 crews working to construct a new SR 520 floating bridge installed a large hinged transition span that connects the moveable, floating bridge to the stationary, elevated bridge segment near Lake Washington’s eastern shore. The transition span is composed of five steel girders, each 190 feet long and 45 tons. Check out where the transition span will be and how it works.

A WSDOT engineer looks on as the T-pontoon squeezes between pontoons in the casting basin. The T-pontoon, specially built for these pontoons, removes the supplemental stability pontoons from the casting basin in pairs.

Beginning July 27, 2013, crews floated eight supplemental stability pontoons out of the casting basin in which they were constructed, at the Concrete Technology Corporation site in Tacoma, WA. These pontoons are the third of six of cycles of pontoons to be completed at this site.

After each cycle, pontoons are inspected and temporarily moored prior to being towed to Lake Washington and used in assembly of the new SR 520 floating bridge.

March 14, 2013: On the corner of a new pontoon under construction in Aberdeen, a welder puts finishing touches on a bollard.

Construction is complete on the second cycle of SR 520 bridge pontoons in Aberdeen. In this cycle, crews built six total pontoons:

• Three longitudinal pontoons (360 ft. x 75 ft. x 29 ft.)

• One cross pontoon (270 ft. x 75 ft. x 33 ft.)

• Two supplemental stability pontoons (98 ft. x 60 ft. x 28 ft.)

Throughout the winter crews have been working to construct the columns and architectural elements on Pontoon A. With column work complete, workers are preparing to build the crossbeam that will support the roadway of the future SR 520 bridge.

News media were invited on a boat tour with project managers with the Washington State Department of Transportation on Nov. 22, 2013. During the tour, media could see construction progress on the new floating bridge up close.

With the Seattle skyline in the distance, the final pontoon needed for the new SR 520 floating bridge passes through Lake Union after a four day journey from Aberdeen, WA to Lake Washington. Pontoon F is the 77th pontoon to arrive in Seattle, out of a total 77 pontoons needed to construct the new SR 520 floating bridge. Build your own Pontoon F by visiting our website.

More information about the new SR 520 floating bridge is available on our website.