‘Challenges’ force delayed reopening of White River Bridge
Apr 8, 2015, 5:28 PM | Updated: 5:46 pm
The White River Bridge will not be open until Saturday. (Photo courtesy of the Washington State Department of Transportation)
(Photo courtesy of the Washington State Department of Transportation)
The White River Bridge won’t reopen until Saturday, because crews working on repairs encountered “several challenges,” according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The bridge was originally scheduled to reopen Friday.
Crews needed to install temporary support before working to straighten a damaged overhead overhead beam. The support structure was intended to be completed Wednesday, but the contractor did not receive the proper materials needed to finish its construction in the estimated time, forcing the delay, according to the department.
“The temporary support structure is critical to completing repairs to the damaged bridge,” said WSDOT Assistant Regional Administrator Amir Rasaie. “Our contractor completed work on the temporary support system late this afternoon. But, there’s still a lot of work to be done, including up to 48 hours of repair work to the damaged supports.”
WSDOT closed the White River Bridge on State Route 410 on April 4, after a routine inspection uncovered damage to the bridge’s overhead-support structure. Bridge engineers believe an over-height load struck the bridge in the westbound lanes, putting a large dent in the horizontal beam. A low-clearance warning sign is posted along the shoulder approaching the bridge.
The repair is expected to cost approximately $1.5 million.
