Ballard Bridge
historic place
The Ballard Bridge, a historic place in Seattle, Washington, opened in 1917. This double-leaf bascule bridge, located in King County, carries 15th Avenue Northwest over Salmon Bay. It connects the Ballard neighborhood with Interbay, Magnolia, and Queen Anne. The bridge is part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal system, which links Lake Washington to Puget Sound. When first built, the bridge's approaches were timber trestles, and it also carried a streetcar line. In 1939, these timber approaches were replaced with concrete, and the streetcar rails were removed as part of a Public Works Administration project. The Ballard Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Today, it remains a vital piece of Seattle's infrastructure, serving as a key transportation link and reflecting the region's deep maritime and industrial legacy.