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George Washington Memorial Bridge: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Commuters cross Lake Union on State Route 99 between Queen Anne and Fremont, relying on a fixed highway span rather than waiting for ship canal drawbridges to open.

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About the place

The George Washington Memorial Bridge carries highway traffic high over Lake Union.

The cantilever truss structure carries State Route 99 across the western end of Lake Union. Connecting Queen Anne directly with Fremont, the crossing stands high enough above the Lake Washington Ship Canal to let maritime traffic pass beneath without requiring a drawbridge mechanism. The route historically formed the final segment of the Pacific Highway.

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Below the northern approach sits the Fremont Troll, a large concrete sculpture installed under the roadway beams. Jacobs and Ober designed the crossing without streetcar tracks, setting a regional precedent for automotive thoroughfares. Emergency retrofits and structural maintenance continue to keep the aging highway framework open to heavy commuter transit.

Associations
  • Fremont TrollA concrete sculpture clutching a vehicle sits directly beneath the north deck beams.
  • Lake Washington Ship CanalThe elevated clearance allows marine vessels to pass without stopping traffic.
  • Structural wearAging highway steel requires ongoing maintenance and lane reductions for repairs.
Facts
  • The bridge carries State Route 99 between the Queen Anne and Fremont neighbourhoods.
  • The design firm Jacobs and Ober planned the crossing without streetcar tracks.
  • The elevated cantilever truss eliminates the need for a drawbridge over the shipping canal.
  • A public concrete troll sculpture sits beneath the northern approach of the structure.
Source: Wikipedia
George Washington Memorial Bridge in pictures4 photos · 1 place
George Washington Memorial Bridge
Dllu · cc-by-sa-4.0 · Jul 21, 2015
George Washington Memorial Bridge
Cumulus Clouds · cc-by-sa-3.0 · Nov 21, 2007
George Washington Memorial Bridge
Joe Mabel · cc-by-sa-3.0 · Sep 11, 2007
Cumulus Clouds · cc-by-sa-3.0 · Nov 11, 2007

Getting there and staying

2 sources · As of November 4, 2026
Source: TravelHub · OurAirports (public domain)

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