Washington State Route 519 - History

History

When SR 519 was designated in 1992, the terminus of I-90 intersected directly with 4th Avenue S. SR 519 began at that intersection, ran south to the intersection of 4th Avenue S. and S. Royal Brougham Way, turned west on Royal Brougham, crossed the tracks of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway, and ran to the intersection of Royal Brougham and Alaskan Way S. There, it turned north, and ran to Colman Dock.

In spring 2004, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) finished Phase 1 of its South Seattle Intermodal Access project, which involved the closure of the I-90 on- and off-ramps at 4th Avenue S., the extension of S. Atlantic Street (now known as Edgar Martínez Drive S.) over the rail tracks, and the connection of this new bridge to new ramps to I-90. Interstate 90 eastbound now begins at the intersection of 4th Avenue S. and Edgar Martinez Drive S. However, SR 519 was still signed from its original terminus at 4th Avenue S. and S. Royal Brougham Way, which was still the terminus of Interstate 90 westbound.

Phase 2 of the project originally planned to have the new Atlantic Street bridge to be eastbound only, with a westbound bridge over the railroad built at S. Royal Brougham Way. However, changes to the project area during Phase 1 construction caused WSDOT, the City of Seattle, and the Port of Seattle to consider different options. On November 2, 2006, the three agencies decided that the Atlantic Corridor, connecting I-90 westbound to Edgar Martinez Drive via a new ramp, was the best option for Phase 2. Construction lasted from 2008 to 2011. After construction was complete, the southern terminus of SR 519 moved to Edgar Martinez Drive, and Royal Brougham Way became a city street.