MileCheck / Drawbridges / Seattle Drawbridges / University Bridge
University Bridge · Eastlake Ave E · Ship Canal mile 4.3

Is the University Bridge up right now?

No live feed exists for this bridge, so this page shows the rule, not a guess. Opens on signal for boats.

The app

Seattle Drawbridges

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University Bridge · no live feed
NO LIVE FEED

Seattle publishes live status for five bridges. This is not one of them. The opening rule below is the only thing anyone can tell you, and this page will not pretend otherwise.

When does the University Bridge open?

  • Opens on signal for boats.
  • On weekdays, except federal holidays other than Columbus Day, from 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. it need not open for a vessel under 1,000 tons, unless that vessel is towing one of 1,000 gross tons or more.
  • The tender may hold an opening up to 10 minutes to pass backed-up road traffic, but must open without delay for a vessel engaged in towing.
  • From 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. it opens if at least one hour's notice is given to the tender at the Fremont Bridge.
  • Seattle publishes no live up or down status for this bridge. The rule is all anyone has.

The federal rule, word for word:

The draws of the Ballard Bridge, mile 1.1, Fremont Bridge, mile 2.6, and University Bridge, mile 4.3, shall open on signal, except that: (1) The draws need not be opened for a period of up to 10 minutes after receiving an opening request, if needed to pass accumulated vehicular traffic. However, the draws shall open without delay, when requested by vessels engaged in towing operations. (2) The draws need not open from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, except all Federal holidays but Columbus Day for any vessel of less than 1000 tons, unless the vessel has in tow a vessel of 1000 gross tons or over. (3) Between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. the draws shall open if at least one hour notice is given by telephone, radiotelephone, or otherwise to the drawtender at the Fremont Avenue Bridge.
33 CFR 117.1051(d)

Seattle Drawbridges

Free, at a glance: which of the five monitored bridges is up right now, and for how long. Premium, $9.99 a year or $0.99 a month, unlocks every bridge's own page: its opening rule, its live status detail, a push when a bridge you chose goes up, the lift history MileCheck keeps for it, and four more colour schemes. No account needed. No ads in the app. Your location stays on your phone.

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Questions

Is the University Bridge up right now?

Seattle does not publish a live status for the University Bridge. No app or website can show it. The opening rule is the only guide.

When does the University Bridge open for boats?

Opens on signal for boats. On weekdays, except federal holidays other than Columbus Day, from 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. it need not open for a vessel under 1,000 tons, unless that vessel is towing one of 1,000 gross tons or more. The tender may hold an opening up to 10 minutes to pass backed-up road traffic, but must open without delay for a vessel engaged in towing. From 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. it opens if at least one hour's notice is given to the tender at the Fremont Bridge. Seattle publishes no live up or down status for this bridge. The rule is all anyone has.

How long does the University Bridge stay up?

Most openings are over inside 15 minutes. A single sailboat is a few minutes; a tug with a tow, or several boats in a row, takes longer. The Seattle Drawbridges app times each lift.

Can I get a notification when the University Bridge goes up?

Not for this bridge. Alerts need a live feed, and Seattle does not publish one for the University Bridge. The app can alert you for the five that have one.

Other Seattle bridges

Ballard Bridge

15th Ave NW over the Ship Canal. Live status.

Fremont Bridge

Fremont Ave N over the Ship Canal. Live status.

Montlake Bridge

Montlake Blvd over the Ship Canal. Live status.

First Avenue South Bridge

SR 99 / 1st Ave S over the Duwamish. Live status.

South Park Bridge

14th Ave S over the Duwamish. Live status.

Southwest Spokane Street Bridge

SW Spokane St over the Duwamish. No live feed.

Live status from Seattle DOT via the MileCheck API. Opening rules from 33 CFR 117, the federal drawbridge regulations. Not affiliated with the City of Seattle, WSDOT or the Coast Guard.