Fallen Washington Bridge Fix Now Open

MOUNT VERNON, WA — The temporary bridge replacement on Washington State Interstate-5 is now open, following weeks of repairs after a section of the bridge collapsed on May 23.

The Skagit River bridge will have a 40 mile-per-hour speed limit on the temporary replacement. Regular-sized freight loads will be allowed on the bridge, however, over-sized or over-weight loads must follow a posted detour around the area.

“Roughly 99 percent of the car and truck traffic will be able to cross the I-5 bridge again,” said Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Secretary Lynn Peterson. “This will dramatically reduce the congestion through Mount Vernon and Burlington, and hopefully bring some much-needed normalcy back to our communities.”??

The I-5 is the only north-south interstate route in Washington with over 70,000 vehicles travelling on the route every day.

A permanent solution is just beginning construction and will be ready some time in October. A small section of I-5 will be closed for approximately two weeks while the permanent span is fitted.

At the end of May, an over-height vehicle (with proper approval from the state) struck a support truss on the bridge leading to a section to collapse in to the river below. Three people were injured as a result, but none of the injuries were life threatening.

For more information on the project from WSDOT, visit their website.


Have your say


This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.

*