City prepares for heat wave with cooling showers scheduled for Ballard and Fremont Bridges

Meghan Walker Ballard

Seattle is on the brink of record high temperatures this weekend, and the City is taking some measures to keep local roadways open and safe for travelers.

The Seattle Department of Transportation says the extreme heat can damage roads and bridges, so they’re having crews on standby to respond quickly to weather-related damages like sink holes or fissures. SDOT will be spraying down the city’s steel draw bridges for three days in a row to help keep them cool whenever the temperatures hit 85 degrees or higher.

The bridge cooling is necessary because high temperatures can cause the steel to expand and potentially create problems for opening and closing functions.

Here’s what SDOT crews will be doing to cool down bridges in the city (from SDOT):

  • Starting Saturday, June 26 until Monday, June 27, we will be giving the University, Fremont and Ballard bridges occasional cool water showers with water from a cooling truck to preserve the bridges. 
  • To make sure the water is safe for the environment, we also add a small amount of Vitamin C in order to neutralize chlorine in the portable water. 
  • We’ll close each bridge for a few minutes at least twice a day on Saturday, Sunday and Monday afternoon to receive these cool water baths. The work will take place each day from noon to 5 PM. (Here’s a video clip of the Fremont Bridge getting a cool water bath last summer.) 

The extreme heat predictions has prompted the City of Seattle to open more than 30 cooling centers which include senior centers, community centers, libraries, and emergency shelters in addition to beaches, pools, spray parks, and wading pools. The City has also partnered with Pacific Place and local malls and movie theaters to encourage residents to cool off indoors through Monday, June 28.

Through Monday, all those who visit Pacific Place will have access to unlimited popcorn refills from AMC plus other deals from retailers such as AT&T, Aveda, and Pike Place Chowder.

Additionally, Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center is opening as a 24-hour emergency cooling shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness. Fisher Pavilion will be open Saturday June 26 until Tuesday, June 29 to host up to 73 people with meals provided by Operation Sack Lunch.

Here are several community center cooling center hours:

  • International District/Chinatown Community Center (Sunday and Monday 2pm-8pm) 
  • Northgate Community Center (Saturday and Sunday 2pm-8pm) 
  • Rainier Beach Community Center (Saturday and Sunday 2pm-8pm)  

Local libraries are also open for individuals seeking to avoid the heat. The Ballard Branch is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.

Here’s a list of open pools, spray parks, and lifeguarded beaches:

Wading pools (starting Saturday, June 26, noon-7pm unless otherwise listed)  

  • Volunteer, 1400 E Galer St, Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues  
  • East Queen Anne, 160 Howe St., Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun  
  • Powell Barnett, 352 Martin Luther King Way, Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun  
  • Dahl, 7700 25th Ave. NE, Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues  
  • Soundview, 1590 NW 90th St., Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues  
  • Bitter Lake 13035 Linden Ave. N, Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun  
  • Green Lake (opens 7/2), N 73rd and E Green Lake Dr. N, Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun  
  • Van Asselt, 2820 S Myrtle St., Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun  
  • Delridge, 4501 Delridge Way SW, (12pm to 5:30pm), Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues  
  • South Park, 8319 8th Ave. S, Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues  
  • Lincoln, 8600 Fauntleroy Ave. SW, Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun  

Spray Parks (starting Saturday, June 26, 11am-8pm everyday)  

  • Beacon Mountain at Jefferson Park, 3901 Beacon Ave. S  
  • John C. Little, 6961 37th Ave. S  
  • Lower Judkins, 2150 S Norman St.  
  • Georgetown Playfield, 750 S Homer St.  
  • Highland Park, 1100 SW Cloverdale  
  • Lake Union Park, 860 Terry Ave. N  
  • Miller Community Center, 330 19th Ave. E  
  • Northacres Park, 12800 1st Ave. NE  
  • Yesler Terrace Park , 917 Yesler Way  

Lifeguarded Beaches (starting Saturday, June 26, noon to 7 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays):  

  • Matthews, 9300 51st Ave. NE through September 5  
  • Madison, 1900 43rd Ave. E through September 5  
  • Mt. Baker, 2301 Lake Washington Blvd. S through September 5  
  • Seward, 5902 Lake Washington Blvd. S through September 5  
  • West Green Lake, 7312 W Green Lake Dr. through September 5  
  • Magnuson, park entrance at NE 65th and Sand Point Way NE through August 28  
  • Madrona, 853 Lake Washington Blvd. through August 28  
  • Pritchard Beach, 8400 55th S through August 28  

Outdoor Pools  

  • “Pop” Mounger Pool, 2535 32nd W, daily, 9 a.m. to 5: 30 p.m., visit here for public swim times.   
  • Colman Pool, 8603 Fauntleroy Way SW, daily, noon to 7 p.m., visit here for public swim times.   

For more information about Seattle’s efforts to help residents during the upcoming heat wave, read more here.