Q: Within the last few weeks, one lane of Seattle's Ballard Bridge has been
closed at times for repairs. "This always happens in the middle of the day on a Saturday, and can last for several hours," complained Dante Leon, a resident of the nearby Magnolia neighborhood.

The resulting traffic backup can be severe, he said, especially because the Fremont Bridge, east of the Ballard Bridge, is down to one lane for work, "and there is no workable alternate route."

Leon fears motorists might be in for more of these weekend repair closures. "Is there any way to schedule this work at a different time so that the impact is minimized?"

A: The city's transportation department has been performing needed maintenance work — replacing railings and repairing water lines — on the Ballard Bridge on weekends because the work would cause even more traffic congestion on weekdays because volumes are higher, says department spokesman Gregg Hirakawa. Crews do start work early on weekend mornings to keep traffic disruptions to a minimum, he said.

Since all lanes on the nearby Fremont Bridge are now open, that should help to reduce traffic volume on the Ballad Bridge, he noted. Still, the transportation department has been considering performing some bridge work at night. Crews, however, can perform only certain tasks during daylight hours.

"Bridge crews, by necessity, are required to work over the railing, high above the ground or water," said Hirakawa. "Working in such conditions at night with limited lighting and visibility can be extremely hazardous."

Here's what's up the road: Crews will begin repairing broken concrete on the Ballard Bridge during the summer months. That work, Hirakawa said, will require crews to close one traffic lane over the bridge during weekdays and weekends.

But he vows that the department is still looking for ways to minimize traffic congestion.