Expect long PM commutes until further notice on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge
Oct 26, 2026, 5:11 PM
Bridge maintenance crew members fastening steel plates to a deteriorating section of a bridge joint near the Tacoma side of the Narrows during repairs on Oct. 24, 2026. The plates will be used to help lift the heavy steel joint from the bridge deck. (Photo courtesy of WSDOT via KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of WSDOT via KIRO 7)
Drivers who use the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (SR 16) to Gig Harbor should expect longer nighttime commutes due to construction work.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has been doing construction work on the aging structure.
WSDOT said earlier this month that they need to replace old joint expansions on the bridge.
The westbound span across the water is 76 years old, and it is in desperate need of repairs. Regular SR 16 drivers have been caught up in emergency repairs for years as the span continues to break down and show its age.
The worst spots are the four massive expansion joints on either end of the bridge, right where the towers are located. Eight major emergency repairs have been needed at the joints since 2024.
In an update on Oct. 26, WSDOT said that the worst part of the old joint has been removed.
However, WSDOT is prepping the area to install the new piece.
WSDOT says during that time, drivers should expect longer-than-normal nighttime commutes on the bridge.
If you’re able to avoid taking the bridge, WSDOT advises that you should.
