Murray Morgan Bridge

The Murray Morgan Bridge, also known as the 11th Street Bridge or City Waterway Bridge, is a vertical-lift bridge in Tacoma, Washington. It originally opened Feb. 15, 1913 to replace an 1894 swing-span bridge. The bridge connects downtown with the tideflats, it spans the Thea Foss Waterway, originally known as the City Waterway. Designed by noted bridge engineering firm Waddell & Harrington, the bridge has some unusual features: higher above the water than most lift bridges, construction on a variable grade and an overhead span designed to carry a water pipe. The bridge structure also contained a wooden road which connected what is now Cliff Street with Dock Street. According to the Department of Transportation, the towers are 207' 1¾" (63.14 m) above the water, with the road deck 60' above the water level at zero tide. It was modified and updated in 1957 and was used to route State Route 509 through the tideflats. The bridge was bypassed in the late 1990s when State Route 509 was routed around the edge of the tideflats. While WSDOT wanted to tear down the bridge, the City of Tacoma convinced the state to transfer ownership to the City.. In the past, the bridge has been heavily used by commuters and emergency services in connecting the Port of Tacoma with downtown Tacoma..

In 2007, the bridge was closed because of safety concerns and general wear-and-tear the bridge had suffered in its near 100 year lifespan. Soon after, the city began a large rehabilitation project on the bridge to completely overhaul all aspects of the bridge. In 2010, the bridge began periodically opening to bikes and pedestrians . In February 2013, the bridge re-opened to all traffic.