Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson and state Department of Transportation officials said the White River Bridge connecting Enumclaw and Buckley will reopen ahead of schedule.
In a press event with community leaders, elected officials and WSDOT leadership, Ferguson said the bridge re-opened Oct. 17. The bridge had been closed since being struck by an over-height truck on Aug. 18. Originally, the bridge was schedule to be closed through Nov. 14. However, an inspection on Oct. 15 led officials to re-evaluate the bridge’s reopening date, weeks ahead of schedule.
“We made a commitment to reopen this bridge as quickly as possible,” Ferguson said. “Thanks to the hard work of our crews, engineers and contractors seven days a week we’re opening weeks ahead of schedule. People just want government to work. Together we can move fast and solve big problems.”
The strike by the over-height truck caused significant structural damage, officials said. The bridge, which carries and average of 22,099 vehicle a day, was closed, causing significant impacts on people in King and Pierce counties due to reduced traffic. The detour around the closure added an hour, at times, to travel.
Once the bridge was closed, Ferguson declared an emergency in King and Pierce counties, which allowed the state to seek federal funds to reimburse the cost of bridge repairs. It also allowed the state to enter into an emergency contract with Guy F. Atkinson Construction for repairs. Ferguson directed that the contract with Atkinson require workers be on the job seven days a week until the bridge was reopened.
“From day one, our commitment was clear: do the work right and restore this link as quickly and safely as possible,” Secretary of Transportation Julie Meredith said. “We appreciate the community’s resilience and partnership as we worked seven days a week to reopen the bridge.”