State says temp I-5 bridge over Skagit River ready next week

State transportation officials say the Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River should reopen sometime next week after finishing the installation of a temporary span to replace the collapsed bridge.

Washington State Department of Transportation crews are working around the clock to meet the goal of getting the temporary span in place by mid-June.

The bridge has been closed and traffic detoured since a section of the bridge collapsed May 23. Two cars plunged into the river injuring three people.

“While it may seem like it’s been taking a while, our crews have been working nonstop as quickly as they can to get this bridge back up and functioning,” said Travis Phelps, WSDOT spokesman.

That will be a week too late for thousands of students returning home from Western Washington University after they finish their finals in Bellingham this week. Most of the university’s students live south or east of the bridge.

On Monday, crews pushed the first of two temporary sections across the gap between the north and south sides of the Skagit River Bridge. They will spend the next several days positioning it over new concrete supports. Then they have to repeat the process on the other side.

“So if you’re driving through Burlington and take a peek you’ll see what seems to be a crazy erector set that is now taking shape,” Phelps said.

The temporary bridge is actually two connected 24-foot-wide spans being erected by the contractor, Acrow Bridges. The structure will be a total of 240 feet long for overlapping support and will restore two highway lanes in each direction.

The Associated Press contributed to this report