Recreational Boating Information for the Northwest

Local Bridge Navigation and Information














Note: All clearance figures are at mean high lake water  level or tide .
            Linked to Google Maps and NOAA Charts 

Agate Pass Bridge Map  |  View NOAA Chart
  • Location: Northwest Bainbridge Island                                                   Vessel Clearance: 75 feet

Ballard Bridge | 15th St Ave Bridge   |  View NOAA Chart 18477           
  • Location: Seattle, Ship Canal, Salmon Bay                                                           Vessel Clearance: 46 feet at center

First Avenue South Bridge                                                                      
  • Location: Seattle, Duwamish Waterway, Puget Sound                    Vessel Clearance: 39 feet​

Flagler Road | US116 Bridge                                                                        
  • Location: Portage Channel near Port Hadlock                                     Vessel Clearance: 58 feet

  • Fremont Bridge                                                                                               Location: Seattle, Lake Union / Ship Canal next to Aurora Bridge          Vessel Clearance: 30 feet

  • Hood Canal | William A. Bugge Bridge                                                Location: North Hood Canal | Request opening: 360.779.3233      Vessel Clearance: 31 feet West end, 50 fleet East end

  • Lake Washington I-520 Floating bridge                                               Location: Seattle, connecting Montlake to Medina                           Vessel Clearance: West Channel 44 feet, East Channel 70 feet

  • Lake Washington I-90 Floating Bridge                                              Location: Seattle, connecting Rainer Valley to Mercer Island     Vessel Clearance: 29 feet West and East Channels

  • Lake Washington East Channel I-90 Bridge                                   Location: Mercer Island to Bellevue                                                           Vessel Clearance: 65 feet

  • Manette Bridge                                                                                               Location: Bremerton | Port Washington Narrows                              Vessel Clearance: 82 feet

  • Murray Morgan 11th street Vertical Lift Bridge​                            Location: Tacoma, Foss Waterway                                                             Vessel Clearance: 60 feet lifting to 135 when up.

  • Montlake Bridge SR513                                                                              Location: Seattle, Portage Bay | Montlake Cut                                                    Vessel Clearance: 46 feet

Salmon Bay Bridge | Burlington Northern Railroad 
  • Location: Seattle, Puget Sound at The Lock                                            Vessel Clearance: 43 feet

  • South Park 16th Ave Bridge                                                                      Location, Seattle, Duwamish Waterway                                                 Vessel Clearance: 34 feet

  • Snohomish River Bridge                                                                            Location: Everett, Snohomish River                                                          Vessel Clearance: 35 feet

  • Spokane Street Swing Bridge                                                                  Location: Seattle, Duwamish Waterway, Harbor Is, Puget Sound  Vessel Clearance: 55 feet

  • University Bridge                                                                                           Location: Seattle, Portage Bay next to the I-5 bridge                         Vessel Clearance: 42.5 feet

  • ​Warren Avenue Bridge                                                                               Location: Bremerton | Port Washington Narrows                              Vessel Clearance: not available at this time


The Washington State Department of Transportation operates 17 moveable bridges on state routes. 

Federal Law gives marine traffic the right-of-way over vehicular traffic. WSDOT works with the US Coast Guard to create reasonable restrictions on marine openings (for vessels under 5,000 gross tons) during peak travel times to ease congestion for drivers when possible. 

Below we've listed bridge information for the Puget Sound area along with Lake Union and Lake Washington. We have also listed any rail bridges.
Restrictions on marine openings for bridges over Lake Union
 and the ship canals.

Rule of thumb: From May 1 to August 31, drawbridge openings for marine traffic are restricted on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. and between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Between 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. and from 6 to 6:30 p.m., openings are limited to the hour and half hour.

From September 1 to April 30, drawbridge openings for marine traffic are restricted on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. and between 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. However, the drawspan may be opened anytime on the weekend or on federal holidays. 

Request an opening: Call the bridge tender at 206.720.3048 or VHF CH. #13. Average opening time: 4 minutes, traffic delays may be longer. 

When requesting a bridge opening from 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM vessels should contact the bridge by radio (marine Band ch 13) or use a whistle signal - one long, one short. Pleasure vessels are requested by the Coast Guard to use a whistle signal from 7:00 AM to dusk.

During closed periods, bridge openings will not be made unless a vessel is 1,000 gross tons or more, or is towing a vessel exceeding 1,000 gross tons (Federal Regulation).

One bridge operator (the Call-out Bridge Operator) is responsible for the three Ship Canal bridges between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Vessels are required to give one hour advance notice for a bridge opening. To request an opening, vessels should call the Bridge Shop on Marine Channel 13, or by telephone at 386-4251 after 11:00 p.m. The operator will drive to the bridge at the agreed time.