Another wave of improved pavement comes to southbound I-5 in Vancouver, with more to come in the years ahead

By Sarah Hannon-Nein

Great news for the saga of I-5 pavement replacement in Clark County! The infamous southbound I-5 pavement between 179th Street and the I-5/I-205 split has been a rough ride for a long time—but after a recent project, and more planned in the years ahead, we have updates about the highway that just keep on giving – or, in this case, cracking.

Aged-out I-5 pavement in Clark County

If you live in or travel through Clark County, you’re probably familiar with the bumpy surface between Ridgefield and the I-5/I-205 split. We put up Rough Road signs earlier this year. This stretch of highway includes 8,400 concrete panels which are 50 to 70 years old and past due for replacement, and well beyond their expected lifespan.

Left, uneven concrete panels with visible cracks and seams. Center, a large crack with discoloration from spilled fluids. Right, more cracks and surface damage, along with dark stains on the concrete.

These panels, which carry some of the highest traffic volumes in the state, are worn out, cracked and need repair or replacement. Working on thousands of panels takes time and money, so we're using multiple contracts over multiple years. With increased traffic and extreme weather, the panels fail faster each year, and we don't have enough funding to fix them as quickly as they are failing. With only about 40% of the funding needed to maintain our highway system, we have to make hard choices about what we can fix and when.

The good news!

WSDOT contractor crews spent this fall putting $2.3 million to use to address the “worst of the worst” panels and, by taking advantage of favorable materials cost, took care of over 80 panels instead of the 40-45 previously planned. Will you still notice a bumpy ride? Yes. But the panels in the roughest shape have been replaced! It’s a small, but important improvement.

Left, a worker uses a jackhammer near traffic cones and barriers. Center, a concrete mixer truck pours fresh concrete onto the road. Right, a close-up of finished concrete panels with visible grooves and seams.

What’s next?

Our next project is slotted for 2026 and while it will be a big challenge, it will bring a long-term solution for a smoother and safer drive. We'll also be doing something new in this stretch of highway to reduce traffic delays and keep costs low so we can fix more of the problem sooner.

Enter the crack, seat and overlay process.

In summer 2026, all southbound lanes and shoulders between 179th Street and the I-5/I-205 split will be paved with asphalt over the existing concrete panels. This marks a major step for this troubled section of I-5.

So why are we using asphalt instead of replacing all those concrete panels? Replacing every panel would be a never-ending project with a very high cost, meaning it would take more contracts and more years to complete as funding became available.

Here’s how the crack, seat and overlay process will work:

Crack: We start by cracking the old concrete panels. This is done using a machine that essentially breaks the concrete into smaller pieces. It looks like a small guillotine dropping a heavy weight onto the panels every few feet.

Seat: Once cracked, a large 35,000-pound steel compactor on wheels rolls over the broken pieces, pressing them down to make sure they’re firmly seated into the ground.

Overlay: We lay down a few inches of new asphalt, building it up gradually until we reach 9 inches. This slow layering is important to ensure the new overlay is packed in tightly, creating a smooth and durable driving surface.

This process will take time and every bit of dry weather we can get. Hopefully if funding can be identified in 2027, the work will continue between Ridgefield and 179th Street.

This isn’t a quick fix, and we’re looking at more years of work to finish repairing this stretch of I-5. Until then, you’ll still see Rough Road signs as we continue to do this work. We’re making progress–one crack at a time. Thank you for your patience while we work on this major improvement for Southwest Washington!

The makings of a PNW autumn include rain and returning salmon

By Olympic Region Communications

Some things in life you can set your watch to – assuming this is something people still do.

As The Byrds sang, “to everything, turn, turn, turn, there is a season turn, turn, turn.” In the Pacific Northwest, that season change means our warm summers eventually fade to autumn. Rain begins to fall, filling our creeks and rivers.

There are other things you can count on in case that old Timex stops ticking: fish.

A chum run unlike any other in Chico Creek

In the waters of the Pacific Northwest fall also means fish runs. This time of year, we see salmon and other fish returning to streams to spawn and start the life cycle all over again. This year, though, we’re seeing something more: a lot of fish at streams where they haven’t been in years. We’ve heard from local communities, crews and co-workers who grew up here that it’s a chum run like they’ve never seen.

Salmon make their way upstream in Chico Creek under the new SR 3 bridge

In recent weeks, this was the case at Chico Creek in Kitsap County. The sight of salmon so thick in the creek brought tears to locals’ eyes.

We’re also happy to see the increased fish runs and to have played a part in their overall return. In many locations our fish passage projects replacing aging culverts that blocked fish migration have let fish swim more freely under state highways.

A team effort at Chico Creek

A case in point is Chico Creek near Bremerton. The restoration of Chico Creek has been decades in the making, led by Suquamish Tribe and Kitsap County. This work was preceded by multiple public projects in Chico Creek’s lower reaches that replaced old bridges with more fish-friendly designs, restored sections of stream bank and protected natural areas along Chico Creek, including Kitsap County’s 30-acre Erlands Point Park.

In 2021, we began a project to build a new bridge on State Route 3. We also began building a new 50-foot-long bridge on Chico Way Northwest. Fast forward to 2024, the project has now opened up nearly 22 miles of potential habitat for fish.

The new bridges now accommodate a rerouted Chico Creek, which flows away from two culverts and beneath the SR 3 bridge. The bridge on Chico Way removes a barrier to a nearby unnamed tributary, which feeds into Chico Creek. In other words, fish have more room and easier access.

Just as in-stream work wrapped up, the rains started to refill those creeks. Like clockwork, the fish have returned.

Salmon run at Chico Creek in October 2024

Our point is, it’s not just WSDOT projects that help restore salmon runs by correcting culverts that are barriers to fish. This particular watershed had, at one point, several barriers further upstream and a barrier downstream. It takes all of us working together to restore watersheds and fish runs.

Culverts under our highway may only be one part of the equation, but it is our duty and responsibility to play our part in restoring these habitats to a more natural state for local salmon. (It is also part of a federal court injunction for WSDOT barriers. Work like this project gets us another step closer to meeting those requirements).

24 for 24

It’s not just Chico Creek where progress is being made removing barriers to fish movement. In 2024, we opened 24 barriers to fish in seven western Washington counties: Pierce, Thurston, Kitsap, Clallam, Jefferson, Grays Harbor and Mason.

We restored access to 76 miles of potential fish habitat. It’s a lot of work for crews. And it meant travelers had to endure detours, slowdowns and delays for this work. Here’s a snapshot of the work completed this year:

SR 16 and SR 302 Spur at Purdy Creek

In Pierce County, we are wrapping up a long-term project at Purdy Creek near Gig Harbor. We started working on SR 16 in fall of 2022 to remove a barrier under the highway. We built two 206-foot-long bridges to replace an outdated culvert. The project removed a second fish barrier under the SR 302 Spur, known locally as Purdy Drive, in 2023. We built a smaller bridge there to replace an outdated culvert. This portion of the project also included a shared-use path for people who walk and roll that was added at the request of the community.

Chum salmon in Purdy Creek at SR 16 in November 2024

SR 108 and US 101 in Mason and Thurston counties

This summer, crews removed barriers to fish at three locations under SR 108 near Kamilche, and under US 101 near the Mason/Thurston County line. The work on SR 108 included separate total closures of the highway in the Kamilche area most of July and August. It required a lengthy detour through US 101 at Mud Bay. On US 101, we kept people moving by reducing US 101 to one lane in each direction. We know detours can be frustrating, but this closure and detour allowed us to complete the overall work much faster, shortening the overall disruptions.

US 101 near Forks

In the Forks area, we started a project in the spring to remove fish barriers under US 101 at five locations. Four of them wrapped up mid-November. We will return in 2025 to complete work at the Wisen Creek site between Forks and Port Angeles. We replaced outdated culverts under the highway with a variety of structures. The most notable is an arch culvert located just south of the Clallam County line in Jefferson County. Our crews used approximately 9,000 bolts to put together the large metal structure.

In summer 2024, we built a large metal arch culvert to replace an outdated culvert under US 101 near Ruby Beach

SR 109 between Seabrook and Hoquiam

People traveling to Pacific Coast beaches this summer encountered multiple detours while crews removed five old culverts that hampered fish movement. Crews had to dig up the entire highway to install the new large concrete structures. These new structures now allow fish to swim under the highway more easily.

US 12 and SR 8 in Grays Harbor County

If you live along US 12/SR 8 in Grays Harbor County or took that route to the coast in the last year, you traveled through five fish passage sites between Olympia and Montesano. We started a project to remove barriers to fish there in fall 2023. While we still have some bridges to finish building, our contractor was able to get all stream work done this past summer. Originally, we expected the stream work to take two summers to complete. This means we will likely wrap up the project well before the end of 2025 as first expected.

Coho salmon swim through the new culvert under SR 8 east of McCleary

Making the highways more resilient

All of these projects built new bridges or installed larger culverts to replace the old culverts that blocked fish habitat. If you’re thinking to yourself, that’s a lot of new structures, we agree. But all of the culverts we are replacing were reaching the end of their useful life.

The new structures allow fish to swim freely under state highways and make our highways more resilient during floods and earthquakes. The new structures are built to current seismic standards. They also reduce flooding by allowing more water to flow under the highway. In turn, this reduces the need for emergency road closures and costly repairs from flood damage.

There is more work ahead in the coming years as we work towards meeting the 2013 federal court injunction.  

We know people had to alter their plans to accommodate the roadwork, and we’re very grateful for the cooperation in that. When you see fish returning to the streams, and you see the end result, we hope you share in the feeling that it’s worth the effort.

Knee replacement surgery but for bridges: Preserving the Chehalis River Bridge in Aberdeen

UPDATE: 10:35 a.m. Friday, Dec. 13, 2024

The second closures of the H and G Street bridge ramps are now scheduled to happen on the same night in early January. The schedule will be announced once it is finalized.

UPDATE: 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024

The second closure of the H Street ramp to the bridge is now scheduled to occur from 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13 to 5 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14.

---

By Angela Cochran

As people get older, we start to notice our bodies aren’t as nimble as they used to be. We start feeling aches and pains and even a little creaky in our knees.

This is also true of our bridges. As they age, parts start to wear down and need repair or replacement.

Think of bridge bearings like the joints in your body. They allow the bridge to move and flex with changes in temperature, traffic loads and even during natural events like windstorms. Just like our joints need to stay in good shape to keep us moving, bridge bearings are crucial for keeping a bridge functional.

Built in 1955, the Chehalis River Bridge connects people in north and south Aberdeen.

As the US 101 Chehalis River Bridge approaches its 70th year connecting north and south Aberdeen, important components are deteriorating and need replacing. Over the years, rocker bearings under the north side of the bridge have experienced wear and tear. Here’s why replacing them is important.

1. Safety First : Worn-out bearings can compromise the bridge's stability. Replacing them helps keep the bridge operational and open to travelers.
2. Preventing Damage : If bearings fail, it can lead to more severe damage to the bridge structure itself. Think of it like ignoring a bad knee—it might lead to bigger problems down the road.
3. Longevity : Replacing the bearings helps preserve the bridge and ensures it can continue serving the community for many more years to come.

What ’s happening

Work will take place under the H Street and G Street on the north side of the bridge.

The replacement process involves some careful planning and engineering. The good news is the bridge will remain open to travelers. People who use the bridge overnight will see some temporary changes to how they enter and exit the bridge. Crews will start work on Friday, Nov. 15 to raise the portion of the bridge over East State Street. During this time, the on-ramp from southbound US 101/H Street will close. Travelers will follow a signed detour via the West State Street ramp to get onto the bridge.

One of eight rocker bearings that will be replaced to keep the bridge in good working order.

The bearings are located inside of the bridge’s support columns or piers. The closure allows workers to lift the bridge slightly, less than an inch, and place temporary supports. For about three weeks, crews will work to remove the old bearings and install new ones. During this time, East State Street will close around the clock under the bridge where crews are working.

Once work is complete under H Street, crews will close it again to lower the bridge back to its original position. Then the process will be repeated under northbound US 101/G Street. The G Street exit from the bridge will close twice while we raise and lower that section. People will use the West State Street exit ramp during those times.

Closure schedule

The southbound US 101/H Street ramp to the Chehalis River Bridge will close:

• 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14 to 5 a.m. Friday, Nov. 15

The northbound Chehalis River Bridge ramp to US 101/G Street will close:

• 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 to 5 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7

Be sure to check our app and statewide travel map to get real-time closure information before heading out the door.

Preservation funding challenges

This bridge bearing replacement project is one of 11 preservation projects statewide that were funded in 2024 by the State Legislature. Preservation projects aren’t about building new infrastructure – they help extend the useful life of an asset, such as a bridge. Every asset has a lifespan, and for bridges, that is an average of 75 years. Many of our bridges are either approaching the end of their lifespan or are even well over it. Fully funding our preservation backlog of $1 billion would greatly reduce emergent repairs to our transportation system.

In the meantime, our dedicated bridge maintenance crews continue to take innovative steps to keep this bridge and others operational for as long as possible.

So, next time you travel over the Chehalis River Bridge, think about the behind-the-scenes work that keeps it in shape. It's all about keeping our infrastructure safe, reliable, and ready for the future.

Progress on Northeast 85th Street and upcoming full closure

By Julie Moon

Since breaking ground in fall 2023, significant progress has been made on the I-405/Northeast 85th Street and Inline BRT Station Project including:

• replacement of a city watermain in Kirkland,
• construction of future Interstate 405 bridge approaches, and
• installation of bridge foundations and columns.

Crews are preparing for a full weekend closure of Northeast 85th Street this November. Crews will set bridge girders up to 156 feet long over Northeast 85th Street for the new southbound I-405 bridge. The bridge girders for the northbound I-405 bridge will be scheduled for installation in 2025.

Bridge girders are concrete beams that support the driving surface and are a main structural component of a bridge. There are 16 bridge girders that will support the future I-405 bridges over Northeast 85th Street. This complex work requires a weekend closure to help keep construction workers and the public safe.

Example of crews setting bridge girders.

Upcoming full closure details

Northeast 85th Street between Kirkland Way/114th Avenue Northeast and 120th Avenue Northeast will be closed in both directions beginning 11 p.m. Friday, November 15 to 4 a.m. Monday, November 18. Crews will begin reducing lanes as early as 9 p.m. The I-405 on- and off-ramps from Northeast 85th Street will also be closed.

Signed detours will be in place for travelers. The detour maps for the closures can be found by clicking on the links below:

• Northeast 85th Street vehicle detour routes (The linked image shows map of the vehicular detour route during the Northeast 85th Street closure. Eastbound travelers will take Sixth Street Southeast, Northeast 68th Place and 120th Avenue Northeast to continue onto eastbound Northeast 85th Street. Westbound travelers will use 120th Avenue Northeast, Northeast 68th Place, and Sixth Street Southeast to continue onto westbound Northeast 85th Street.
• Northeast 85th Street pedestrian and cyclist detour routes (The linked image shows map of the pedestrian and cyclist route during the Northeast 85th street closure. Eastbound travelers will use the crosswalk at Kirkland Way/114th Avenue Northeast if needed, turn right to go south on the pedestrian path near the southbound I-405 on-ramp, keep left to go south on 116th Avenue Northeast, turn left to go east over the pedestrian bridge, turn left to go east on Northeast 80th Street, and turn left to go north on 120th Avenue Northeast. Westbound travelers will turn left to go south on 120th Avenue Northeast, turn right to go west on Northeast 80th Street, turn right to go over the pedestrian bridge, turn right to go north on 116th Avenue Northeast, keep right to continue north on the pedestrian path near the southbound I-405 on-ramp, and use the crosswalk at Kirkland Way/114th Avenue Northeast if needed.)
• Northeast 85th Street to northbound I-405 on-ramp closure detour routes (The linked image shows map of the detour route for the northbound I-405 on-ramp closure from Northeast 85th Street. Eastbound travelers will take Central Way, Sixth Street South, and use the on-ramp at 116th Avenue Northeast. Westbound travelers will take 124th Avenue Northeast and use the on-ramp at Northeast 124th Street.)
• Northbound I-405 off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street closure detour routes (The linked image shows map of the detour route for the northbound I-405 off-ramp closure from Northeast 85th Street. Northbound I-405 travelers will take Exit 20A and 124th Avenue Northeast to get back onto Northeast 85th Street.)
• Northeast 85th Street to southbound I-405 on-ramp closure detour routes (The linked image shows map of the detour route for the southbound I-405 on-ramp closure from Northeast 85th Street. Southbound I-405 travelers from eastbound Northeast 85th Street will take Sixth Street Southeast, Northeast 68th Place, and use the on-ramp at Northeast 70th Street. Southbound I-405 travelers from westbound Northeast 85th Street will take 120th Avenue Northeast and use the on-ramp at Northeast 70th Street.)
• Southbound I-405 off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street closure detour routes (The linked image shows map of the detour route for the southbound I-405 off-ramp closure from Northeast 85th Street. Southbound I-405 travelers going eastbound Northeast 85th Street will take Exit 17, Northeast 70th Street, and 120th Avenue Northeast to get on Northeast 85th Street. Southbound I-405 travelers going westbound will take Exit 17, Northeast 68th Place, and Sixth Street Southeast to get on Central Way.)

Full closure of Northeast 85th Street and I-405 on- and off-ramps.

Expect increased congestion and plan for additional travel time during these weekends. Use alternate routes and travel during off-peak hours. Details and updates of the full closure will be posted on the project webpage. The schedule is subject to change due to the nature of construction.

New lane alignment on Northeast 85th Street until spring 2025

Earlier this summer, crews restriped, set up barriers and shifted traffic on Northeast 85th Street to create space for a construction work zone. We expect this lane configuration to be in place until mid-2025.

Current lane alignment on Northeast 85th Street to create work area in the center of the road. 

Looking ahead

The next major construction on the project will include a new lane alignment. In February, drivers will start using the new permanent I-405 bridges over Northeast 85th Street. The new northbound and southbound lanes will be to the outside of the existing lanes. Those older inside lanes will later be demolished. In the future, direct-access and inline BRT stations will be built where the old lanes were. The new bridges will be twice as long as the old bridges. This allows them to span the new middle level roadways and all the general lanes on Northeast 85th Street.

Adjusting to traffic changes takes time, so it's important to stay focused on the road and mindful of the drivers around you. Please ensure your full attention is dedicated to driving to maintain safety for everyone on the road.

Check out the WSDOT real-time travel map for up-to-date information. If you have any questions and/or you would like to sign up for project updates, please email I405SR167Program@wsdot.wa.gov. Stay informed by subscribing to WSDOT updates for King County.

Celebrating 520's final chapter: Construction is a go on the Portage Bay Bridge and Roanoke Lid Project!

By Allie Breyer

This past August, we broke ground on the Portage Bay Bridge and Roanoke Lid Project. This is the final major project in the SR 520 corridor. Construction on the SR 520 Program started in 2011 with the SR 520 pontoon construction project. The Portage Bay Project will complete SR 520’s reconstruction from I-405 in Bellevue to I-5 in Seattle.

Check out the highlights from the groundbreaking ceremony in the video below:

Another construction project?

We get it. You may not be celebrating more construction in this area. If we can offer a silver lining, this project brings us one step closer to completing all major construction projects on the SR 520 corridor. When the project is complete in 2031, we will have transformed the 12.8-mile-long corridor with safer bridges, dedicated lanes for busses and carpools and five landscaped lids. It will also include a bicycle and pedestrian trail from Bellevue Way to Capitol Hill in Seattle. That’s almost 6 miles.

Why do we need a new Portage Bay bridge?

We built the Portage Bay Bridge in the early 1960s using hollow concrete columns. This design was great at the time because it saved weight and materials. We now know that it’s not-so-great for withstanding earthquakes. In the event of a large quake, those columns could collapse, putting the bridge and everyone who uses it at risk.

That’s why we need to build a new one. This project will replace the old bridge with two bridges that can bear the shaking and stress of an earthquake without breaking. These new bridges will use solid foundations and modern engineering techniques so they’re safer and stronger.

Drawing of Portage Bay bridge, 1960. Courtesy of the Seattle Municipal Archives, #63342, Series 2613-07.

This project also:

• Improves connections for busses, carpools and vanpools.
• Extends the regional SR 520 Trail across Portage Bay.
• Creates a new bicycle and pedestrian crossing over I-5.
• Builds a highway lid over SR 520 with three acres of landscaped open space.

All these improvements help to connect communities and support travelers of all kinds.

Major elements of the project include the new Roanoke lid, the new Portage Bay Bridge, an extension of the SR 520 Trail, and new or upgraded bike and pedestrian connections from the lid and the Bill Dawson Trail.

Since breaking ground this past summer, we’ve been getting everything ready for major construction work. This work will begin in November.

Here’s what you can expect this fall

• Piledriving in Portage Bay: As soon as November 6, we'll begin driving large steel or concrete poles deep into the ground to create a foundation for the temporary work trestle. These poles are known as “piles”. This process involves heavy machinery that either vibrates or hammers the piles into place. This is one of the noisier parts of construction. If you live nearby, you can expect to hear loud noises and feel vibrations when crews are driving piles. This will be the first of six piledriving seasons allowed on the project. Each season lasts from September – April, though piledriving may not occur each season.
• Lane closures, parking restrictions and detours: Around East Roanoke Street, Delmar Drive East and Boyer Avenue East, you may notice temporary lane closures and detours. Parking in some areas will also be restricted. It might slow you down, so give yourself extra time when traveling through these spots.
• Increased truck traffic on East Lake Washington Boulevard : You may see more trucks on the road and increased traffic. Crews will be moving materials and equipment to the site.
• Tree and vegetation removal around Boyer Avenue East: We will need to remove some trees and vegetation to make room for construction. But don’t worry – we’ve got a whole plan to replace them. For every tree we take down, we’ll plant another – and sometimes two! – when the project is complete.
• Increased barge traffic in Portage Bay: You may see boats tugging barges into Portage Bay from either Elliot Bay or Lake Washington.

Map graphic showing locations of construction work happening this fall. 

How will the bridge be built?

We’re building the project in three stages so we can maintain traffic over the bay. Over the next year, crews will build two temporary work trestles to the north and south of the current bridge. A trestle is a temporary platform that lets crews bring the material and equipment they need to build the new permanent bridges. We’ll also begin construction on the new “north” westbound bridge.

Crews will build work trestles and the new north bridge during Stage 1. In 2025, crews will start building the Roanoke lid.

Learn more about the three stages of construction and how we will build the trestles, shift traffic and remove and rebuild the bridges over the next few years.

How you can stay informed

We are committed to keeping you updated throughout construction. For the most up-to-date information about SR 520 construction activities and planned road closures, we encourage you to sign up for weekly email updates and regularly visit our Construction Corner webpage and project webpage.

We’ll also host monthly construction update meetings virtually. We’ll send information via our email list.

If you have questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us directly by phone or email:

• SR 520 Program information line: 206-200-9484 (M-F, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
• Portage Bay project 24-hour construction hotline: 206-319-4520
• Email: sr520bridge@wsdot.wa.gov

Three lifesaving events in a week for Mukilteo/Clinton ferry route crews

 By Bryn Hunter

Hardcore Halloween fans spend October getting ready for the spookiest night of the year. But for our Mukilteo/Clinton ferry route employees, the week before the holiday was truly scary.

Thanks to the quick thinking and bravery of our crew and terminal staff, three lives were saved in one week.

Halloween heroics

Early on Oct. 31, Able-Bodied Sailor Steven Overa saw a crash at the I-5/I-405 interchange in Lynnwood on his way to work in Mukilteo. A vehicle had flipped over and caught fire. Steven pulled over, used his own fire extinguisher to help put out the flames and stayed until emergency crews arrived.

The crash at the I-5/I-405 interchange in Lynnwood that Steven Overa responded to on his way to work. 

Port Captain Jay Mooney presents a WSF Shared Value Coin to Steven Overa for his heroism on Oct. 31. 

Weekend water rescues

Just a few days earlier, our Mukilteo/Clinton route employees were busy with two water rescues in a single weekend. The same crew on Kitsap saved a person in the water and a kayaker in a span of 24 hours.

On Oct. 26, Mukilteo Ticket Taker Baylee Lane alerted the Kitsap wheelhouse that a woman was in the water near the ferry dock. Capt. Jeff Knaplund stopped the boat right away. Able-Bodied Sailors Collin Brasfield and Ian Fels then launched a rescue boat to help the woman. After about 25 minutes, with help from local police and fire department staff, the woman was safely brought onto the dock. It takes the entire crew, from the wheelhouse to the engine room, to stop a ferry that expertly. And it takes a lot of skill on the part of terminal staff to swiftly respond to an emergency.

Mukilteo terminal staff and local emergency responders wait on the dock while our crew aboard Kitsap rescues a woman in the water on Oct. 26. (Photo courtesy Mukilteo International Association of Firefighters Local 3482)

Then, on Oct. 27, Chief Mate Kevin Simmons saw a kayaker in trouble who couldn’t get back into his kayak. After notifying the Capt. Knaplund, the same two crew members from the day before launched a rescue boat. They pulled the kayaker and his gear from the cold water and brought him to safety. Once on the ferry, Able-Bodied Sailor Elbert Johnson kept an eye on the man until he was handed over to emergency responders on shore.

Able-Bodied Sailors Ian Fels and Collin Brasfield pull a kayaker out of the water and into a rescue boat off Mukilteo on Oct. 27

We have immense pride in our work at Washington State Ferries and these lifesaving events exemplify the finest ideals of the maritime profession. The safety of our passengers and those we assist in distress is part of our mission. So do not be afraid, Washington State Ferries is looking out for your safety.

In case you can’t tell, we’re really excited about our new roundabout on SR 203

By David Rasbach

Our new compact roundabout along State Route 203 at the intersection with High Rock Road and 203rd Street Southeast south of Monroe is unique, to say the least. With a long, skinny island separated from a circular island by a pass-through lane, even our designers don’t know of any similar roundabouts this small.

From above, it looks like an exclamation point, but we hope people who travel through will come to think of the roundabout as more of comma – a place to slow, take a pause when needed and then proceed on your travels.

A new roundabout opened along SR 203 in late June south of Monroe at the intersection with High Rock Road and 203rd Street Southeast.

Think of it as two roundabouts nested together, and the rules are the same as any other roundabout we’ve built:

• Slow to 15 to 20 mph as you approach.
• Move counterclockwise around the roundabout.
• Yield to vehicles approaching from your left already in the roundabout.
• Larger vehicles may drive over the center islands for tight turns.

Drivers going northbound on SR 203 traffic may need to yield twice – once when entering the roundabout and again if traffic is passing between the two islands. If you think about it, that’s just following the same rules a second time.

If you travel through the area, you may want to check out our video about driving this roundabout.

The SR 203 roundabout slows vehicles that used to approach the High Rock Road intersection at 55 mph.

Roundabouts calm traffic, improve flow and reduce the chances of serious T-bone and head-on crashes. These effects all apply to this stretch of SR 203.

Making a roundabout for everyone

OK, so why does it look so different from any other roundabout?

The design accommodates large vehicles and farm equipment making left turns, fits the existing space and avoids the nearby hill and protected wetlands.

Our engineering team found the unique design was needed to accommodate all the different vehicles that travel through this intersection.

When we began planning, our designers considered a roundabout shaped like a dog bone – long and skinny with “knots” on the ends. They quickly realized that wasn’t going to work.

A lot of large vehicles and farm equipment make left turns from 203rd Street Southeast to northbound SR 203. With a dog bone design, the turn at the southern end would be too tight for these vehicles to make.

Unlike most compact roundabouts, the new roundabout along SR 203 features two center islands with a lane passing between them.

Fitting a roundabout in a tight space

Why not build the center island bigger to create better turning angles for those larger vehicles?

In a word – geography. The new roundabout needed to be built in the same space as the old intersection.

To the east is a steep hill. To the southwest there are protected wetlands. There wasn’t space or budget to mitigate the potential impact in either direction.

With a hill to the eastside of the intersection and protected wetlands just to the southwest, engineers came up with a unique design to help improve safety and traffic flow at the SR 203 intersection at High Rock Road and 203rd Street Southeast.

Making SR 203 safer

We hope people traveling through the new roundabout will adapt quickly to the unique design and follow the same rules they should use at every roundabout. The new intersection is already performing its No. 1 goal of reducing chances of crashes that can lead to serious injuries or worse.

Before construction started, cars flew along this busy rural section of SR 203 between Monroe and Duvall at 55 mph. The intersection is on a curve, adding to the risk people turning from High Rock Road or 203rd Street Southeast could have been hit. SR 203 drivers turning left also faced challenges judging oncoming traffic speed.

National studies have shown that roundabouts create a 37% decrease in overall collisions, while reducing injury crashes by 75% and fatal incidents by 90%.

Despite its unique design, drivers using the new SR 203 roundabout at High Rock Road should follow the same rules in place at any roundabout.

We always monitor and evaluate all changes we make. This new roundabout is no exception, so we’ll be sure it’s working as designed.

Yes, we know – not everybody loves roundabouts. This one requires adjustment, just like any change. But please give this unique little roundabout a chance. Slow down and follow roundabout rules and signs on the road. Make sure you stay distraction free as you drive through the area (and everywhere). And please have patience with others still learning.

We believe you’ll soon enjoy improved safety and traffic flow in the area.

Updates on the new US 2 Trestle PEL study

By: Jennifer Rash

Last summer, we launched a study about the US 2 trestle. We’ve studied this trestle in the past, but this study is different because we’re looking at connections from the trestle to other highways, like I-5. The study will also consider how to improve bike, transit and freight trips around and across the trestle.

Expanded study area that includes the US 2 trestle and other connecting highways, including I-5.

This kind of study is called a PEL—that stands for Planning and Environmental Linkages. One of the most important benefits of this type of study is early input from agencies, tribes, and community members so we can get thoughts on issues and priorities before we develop plans. In fact, we recently collected input from the public and others just to write the study Purpose and Need statement.

What is a Purpose and Need statement?

This statement does two things. First, it explains why we are studying improvements at this specific location. That’s the “purpose” part. Second, it explains the issues that need to be fixed. That’s the “need” part. A bonus benefit is that this Purpose and Need statement can be re-used for the environmental review. That review starts right after the PEL is complete, and having the Purpose and Need statement pre-approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) can speed things up.

Public input informed the final Purpose and Need statements

This spring, we hosted an online open house and survey to gather feedback on the draft Purpose and Need statements. Through survey responses and comments, we learned more about how the community travels on or near the trestle.

Over 10,000 people visited the online open house website, and the survey received nearly 4,000 responses. The following graphs and statistics represent a small sample of the data collected. The full online open house and survey summary is available in the study document library.

Most people (around 70%) in the survey said they live on the east side of the trestle.

Most people said they use the trestle to access essential services like grocery shopping and medical visits. Commuting to work was the fourth most popular type of trip.

We wanted to learn about the biggest challenges to traveling on or around the trestle. Traffic back-ups and unreliable travel times were the biggest issues. Lack of detour options and safety were also common answers.

We then asked folks to review the draft Purpose and Need statements. Over 70% of people supported the statements as written. Some people gave us feedback that led to edits. For example, some people were confused about how we used the word equity. People also wanted to include more eastbound trestle concerns. We revised these statements before sending them to FHWA for approval, acknowledging that public input influenced these revisions.

You can view the draft and final Purpose and Need statements in the study document library.

Feelings about tolling

One of our big takeaways was community opposition to tolling, with 75% of survey takers against it. Many were concerned that tolling could negatively affect the cost of living in communities on the east side of the trestle. Around 15% of survey takers supported tolling the trestle, with some saying it could encourage transit use and others that users should pay for improvements to the trestle—as long as the toll is reasonable.

We will consider tolling as a way to address study needs, though we don’t know yet what types of tolling or the potential toll rates we’ll study.

In general, WSDOT is involved in planning, construction, and operations of tolling projects. The Washington State Legislature authorizes toll facilities and determines how to spend toll revenue. The Washington State Transportation Commission sets toll rates and exemptions with an extensive public input process.

What’s next?

We will work with FHWA and our PEL Study advisory groups to develop a list of possible improvements. We’ll start with a lot of ideas and whittle them down to a few concepts to study in the environmental review. The concepts are first evaluated at Level 1. If they meet the Purpose and Need criteria, as well as more detailed criteria, then they are evaluated in Level 2. We plan to share concepts between Level 1 and Level 2 for public comment in early 2025.

To follow along with the study, consider signing up for the WSDOT Snohomish County Newsletter email updates. We also regularly update our study web page and document library. Thank you again to everyone who participated in our online open house and shared their thoughts with us!

SR 165 Carbon River Bridge highlights preservation challenges in our state

Update: 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, 2025

On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, the Washington State Department of Transportation announced the permanent closure the 103-year-old State Route 165 Carbon River Fairfax Bridge.

• Read the news release
  

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Update: 3:30 p.m. Monday, April 14, 2025

On Monday, April 14, 2025, the Washington State Department of Transportation closed the State Route 165 Carbon River Fairfax Bridge to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic until further notice.

• Read the news release
• View updated images of conditions on the bridge

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By Cara Mitchell

The Carbon River Bridge on State Route 165 is also called the Fairfax Bridge.

It's a sign of the times. On Friday, July 26, our state bridge engineers had to further limit the types of vehicles that can use the 103-year-old Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge in Pierce County.

The new weight limit is 8 tons, or 16,000 pounds. Anything over that weight limit can no longer cross the bridge. This is the third restriction we've had to place on the bridge since 2009. In 2013, commercial vehicles were restricted crossing the bridge.

We know the latest restriction is especially tough for people who live south of the bridge. There is no detour available. We are working with private property owners and signed an emergency declaration with the hopes we can create an emergency detour access route for locals and first responders.

What changed on the bridge

The 494-foot-long bridge has been inspected every two years by state bridge engineers. This spring, engineers rappelled down the side of the bridge to measure the condition of the bridge's steel components. They used this data to calculate the revised load rating.

Photos from 2022 and 2024 show the advancing deterioration of steel sections of the bridge.

The center portion of the bridge is built out of steel, while the bridge approaches are timber. Steel deteriorates over time as it's exposed to rain or snow. Water on steel over time forms rust, which weakens the steel. We combat rust on bridges by painting them. The last time the bridge was painted was in 1988. Since then, we have repeatedly recommended this bridge as a candidate for replacement due to its overall condition and age. In 2023, it was removed as a candidate for replacement due to funding constraints.

As of June 2023, 55 steel bridges were due for painting, 47 were past due and six were being painted. Decades of underfunding maintenance and preservation has resulted in a backlog of work needed keep our transportation system in full operation. We do our best with the funding we are given by the Legislature. We continue to work with state leaders to communicate our needs and the risks associated with those needs being unmet.

Will the bridge be replaced

Deferred preservation has been an ongoing issue for years. Prior budgets passed by the Legislature have not provided funding to replace or make repairs to the bridge, and the SR 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge is now a tangible example of a much larger issue in our state. Without more investment in preservation, we will continue to see more bridges weight listed, longer detours (where applicable) in place and highways with "rough road ahead" signs.

The bridge is competing with other aging bridges across the state. As of June 2023, 315 of our 3,384 bridges were 80 years old or older, accounting for 9.3% of all state-owned bridges. Factors such as traffic volumes play into which bridge rises to the top of the list for replacement.

Our bridge maintenance teams have done their best to keep the bridge in good working order. As an example, we replaced sections of a failing wooden bridge deck last May.

Olympic Region bridge maintenance crew members replacing aging wood bridge deck panels
on the bridge on May 16, 2024

Because of the new load rating, our crews will increase the frequency of inspections on the bridge to every six to 12 months.

We know there are some who will say, "the Brooklyn Bridge is even older and it's still open." This is true. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to keep that historic bridge in good working order. That hasn't happened in Washington state.

Typically, a bridge has a service life of 75 years, based on current standards. In Washington, the average age of state-owned vehicle bridges is 51 years. At age 103, our Carbon River Bridge has held up well. That's in large part because of dedicated bridge engineers who routinely inspect the bridge and bridge maintenance crews who make repairs. The bridge was built in 1921 for $500,000. According to History Link, it was the tallest bridge at the time in the state. Over 100 years later, there are very few highway construction projects, let alone a bridge, that cost $500,000. For instance, we just opened a new bridge in Clallam County that replaced another almost 100-year-old bridge to the tune of $42 million.

New signs and changes to intersections: What travelers need to know

New weight limit signs for the bridge are on order and we are moving quickly to install them.

The bridge is in a rural area with little room to turn around so we're putting advanced warning signs on roads leading to it. You'll soon see signs on SR 165 leading up to the bridge from SR 162, Wilkeson and Carbonado. Those signs are meant to catch the attention of anyone who is driving anything over 8 tons before they get to the bridge.

We're also making some changes to the intersection of SR 165 and Pershing Avenue in Carbonado. The intersection will become an all-way stop. The same goes for the intersection of SR 165 (Mowich Lake Road) and Carbon River Road. The all-way stops will allow drivers another chance to stop, change direction, and make informed decisions prior to crossing the weight-restricted bridge.

What vehicle weighs 8 tons?

Knowing how much your vehicle or the load you're pulling weighs is always important.

• 1 US ton equals 2,000 lbs.
• 8 US tons equals 16,000 lbs.

The bridge is closed to any vehicles that exceeds the maximum weight limit of 16,000 lbs. (8 tons). Official vehicle weights might be found in your vehicle's manual or inside the driver's side front door. Some vehicle registrations will also include this information. There are also fee-based weigh stations that you can use to weigh your vehicle.

A quick Google search shows us that a 2024 Subaru Forester weighs around 3,528 pounds, empty. A Ford F-150 has a curb weight up to 7,000 pounds. Full size RVs can range from 10,000 pounds to 30,000 pounds depending on make and model. Your mid-size SUV will likely be ok to cross the bridge, but better check the weight of the pickup or RV you're driving or pulling before you go. Keep in mind, drivers must add the weight of fluids, loads and people traveling in the vehicle to determine if the vehicle is over the gross weight restriction.

Stay informed

We will share more information with our community partners and property owners in the coming weeks. People can sign up to receive updates on the SR 165 Carbon River Bridge through GovDelivery.

Information line about the bridge is available at: (360) 704-3268

For real-time travel information, visit wsdot.wa.gov and search WSDOT Travel Map and WSDOT Mobile App.

Galloping Gertie’s replacement is a Boomer, and it needs work

By Cara Mitchell

You’ve likely seen the memes about Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z.

We have a new one for you, and it involves two bridges across the Tacoma Narrows:

Our 1950 westbound bridge, from Tacoma to Gig Harbor, is a Boomer.

The 2007 eastbound bridge, from Gig Harbor to Tacoma, is a Gen Z.

One is 74 years old while the other is still virtually a teenager.

In recent years, we’ve seen issues with our aging westbound bridge. The most recent episode was in mid-May when an expansion joint required us to reduce the bridge from four to two lanes for several days.

In late May, we discovered more issues on the same bridge involving a type of expansion joint called a finger joint. It is called this because it resembles a finger on a hand. These joints allow the bridge to expand and contract. The parts to fix it took a few weeks to be custom manufactured. You can’t order these parts off Amazon.

Photo shows a cracked finger joint on the westbound Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
The finger joint will be repaired June 15-16, 2024.

The repairs this time mean the westbound SR 16 Tacoma Narrows Bridge will be reduced from four lanes to two from 4 a.m. Saturday, June 15, to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 16.

Real-time reaction from travelers reading that there’s more repairs on the way

Fortunately, this work could be scheduled over a weekend when there is less overall traffic. That won’t always be the case. Based on the age of the bridge, we know more emergency closures are in our future.

Years of underfunding both our highway Operations & Maintenance and Preservation programs have put our transportation system in jeopardy. Our highway maintenance crews provide short-term repairs like filling a pothole. Longer-term preservation work like roadway surfacing or bridge deck rehabilitation extends the life of our infrastructure. Both programs are needed to work in concert with one another. Unfortunately, given the number and age of our bridges, there is just not enough dedicated funding to keep them from developing age-related problems.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge crew members working under the bridge deck, fabricating forms
to pour new concrete during the emergency lane closures in May.

Lengthy repair list keeps growing

The westbound Tacoma Narrows bridge is one of the largest in our state bridge inventory. Given its age and how heavily it is traveled (45,000 vehicles each day, on average), it has a long list of repair needs including:

• Replacement of expansion joints
• Mechanical repairs of the elevators in the towers
• Emergency electrical system supply upgrades
• Rehabilitation of the superstructure damping mechanisms at the towers
• Various structural repair needs throughout the bridge, such as tightening nuts, addressing rust and corrosion, replacing damaged rivets and bolts and replacing damaged structural members.
• Fully removing and replacing the paint at the towers, trusses, cables and suspenders.

We have a preservation project designed to fix expansion joints on the westbound bridge that will extend the useful life of the bridge. The not-so-good news is that the project is delayed because we don’t have the funds to do the work. The earliest this project can now occur is 2026.

About those tolls

Before you type in all caps “whatabout those tolls,” a reminder that tolls don’t pay for maintenance on the westbound Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Tolling on the eastbound SR 16 Tacoma Narrows Bridge helps repay the costs to build the eastbound bridge, which opened in 2007. Tolls are only collected for trips headed to Tacoma, and toll rates are a fixed rate no matter when you travel. The Washington State Transportation Commission adopts state highway tolls.

Years of underfunding Operations & Maintenance and Preservation is catching up

Not having the funding we need means hard choices are made. Legally, we can’t overspend our budget. That means the agency must decide and prioritize which maintenance activities and preservation projects need to be delayed to stay within the budget we have. This is just like the tough choices people make with their personal budgets.

This is happening with the 1950 Tacoma Narrows Bridge and hundreds of other bridges and highways across the state. As of June 2023, 315 of our 3,384 bridges were 80 years old or older, accounting for 9.3% of all state-owned bridges. The number of WSDOT-owned bridges in poor condition increased 7% from 199 bridges in June 2022 to 213 in June 2023.

Washingtonians own a multimodal state transportation system that would cost nearly $200 billion to replace, but we’re not spending what we need to keep that system in good working order. This isn’t new information, and something our Secretary of Transportation and other agency executives have shared regularly with elected officials, local governments and other partners over the last eight years.

Both the Operations & Maintenance and Preservation programs aren’t about adding new things. Rather, they each play a role in taking care of what we already have.

For example, funding in the Operations & Maintenance program supports repairing potholes repairs, patching bridge deck patches and recent emergency closures on the westbound Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Planned preservation work, such as resurfacing a roadway or rehabilitating all the bridge joints in one project, are needed investments to keep the transportation system running smoothly.

Think of it like taking care of the roof on your house. Getting grime out the gutters and annual cleaning, that’s maintenance. Putting new shingles on, that’s preservation. You can clean a roof with old shingles and replace the shingle that is in bad shape. But, if you don’t put new shingles on your roof, eventually it will deteriorate over time and cost even more to fix down the road.

Maintenance crews holding things together

Tacoma Narrows Bridge crews perform inspections and
maintenance every week on both bridges

Our dedicated maintenance crew performs weekly detailed inspections and maintenance for both bridges. They identify, troubleshoot and address the many items needed to keep travelers moving. Their work is essential to the safe operations and extended service life of these bridges.

A separate team, our Bridge Preservation Office, also performs various engineering inspections (routine, in-depth, underwater, mechanical, electrical, structural) at set 1-year, 2-year, and 5-year intervals.

The point: we aren’t neglecting the bridge. It’s aging, and temporary fixes only go so far.  The team that cares for this bridge takes a lot of pride in their work. They strive to keep this span in the best condition they can. And it’s important to share this information so travelers understand what we are all facing.

More lane closures and extended drive times

There is never a good time to close lanes on the westbound bridge for emergency repairs. We know the weekday evening commute becomes brutal when this happens.

It wasn’t that long ago when there was only one bridge, and travelers had to plan an extra hour to cross the Tacoma Narrows during rush hour.

 So, why can’t we just move traffic to the other bridge during rush hour like Seattle’s Express Lanes?

While this seems straight forward, it isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Switching directions of travel across the State Route 16 Tacoma Narrows Bridge is possible. We designed it to work that way. But it works best for long term events. We did it in 2016 when the bridge decks were re-paved.

Putting this into place requires miles of traffic control barrels, reflective tape, cones and signs on both sides of the bridge. It requires reduced speeds in both directions and hours of set up. When you remove it, the entire process has to be repeated.  A switch like that when we’re closing lanes for emergency work would likely result in more backups – not less – for travelers.

Travel tips

When you hear another emergency repair is underway, have a plan in place. Alter flexible, non-essential trips. Telework if you can. Travel during non-peak commute hours if possible. Please know we’re doing the best we can in a tough situation and we appreciate your patience and any steps you can take to help lessen the congestion.

Real time travel information is available on the WSDOT app and the statewide travel map.

To take a deeper dive into our bridge performance measures, check out detailed bridge information found in our Gray Notebook.