Submitted by WSDOT
At 6 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, both lanes of the US 101 Simpson Avenue Bridge are scheduled to reopen to drivers during daytime hours.
At 7:00 p.m. that evening — and at 7:00 p.m. each weeknight through mid-December — drivers will encounter single-lane closures across the bridge. The lanes will reopen at 6:00 a.m. the following morning.
Crews closed the bridge Monday, Aug. 31, and detoured traffic onto the nearby Riverside Avenue Bridge while they paintedmost of the structure. More work remains on the project, including final painting, guardrail replacement, sidewalk replacement and steel repairs.
“We will be very happy to give this key link back to the community again,” said Washington State Department of Transportation Assistant Project Engineer Steve Busche. “We know this kind of work can be disruptive to drivers, and we appreciate their patience during the bridge closure.”
Since work is underway to replace the wooden sidewalk, the bridge will remain closed to pedestrians through the remainder of the project. Pedestrians will continue to use the Riverside Bridge to cross the Hoquiam River.
The remaining painting work is weather-dependent. Weather permitting, the project is expected to be complete by the end of December.
Protective paint is a cost-effective way to extend the life of the bridge so it can be used for many years to come. The bridge was last painted in 1992.
Drivers can stay informed of traffic impacts by visiting WSDOT’s travel alerts and construction update webpages.
