CARBANADO, Wash. — This story was initially published on MyNorthwest.com
Many popular hiking trails and camping sites in Mount Rainier National Park were unusually quiet over Memorial Day weekend due to the long-term closure of the Carbon River Fairfax Bridge, which is expected to remain closed for several years.
You won’t be able to get to Mowich Lake and the other fun spots south of the Carbon River Canyon until at least 2031. That’s the estimate from the Washington Department of Transportation’s Cara Mitchell.
“It’s looking like a six-year process with the environmental permitting, tearing down the existing bridge, and getting the design in place and rebuilding,” Mitchell said. “It’s a long time frame. It’s not an easy task.”
That’s why WSDOT has accelerated the process, just a month after the 103-year-old bridge was closed due to damage discovered in its steel supports. The agency is preparing to launch an online open house and host two public forums to discuss next steps. WSDOT has since presented three basic options for the public to consider.
Rainier hiking closure stalls outdoor access
“There’s a no-build option, which is a permanent road closure. There’s a bridge replacement in the same vicinity, and then rerouting State Route 165 on a new alignment to either the east or the west of the canyon,” Mitchell said.
The state is relying on this public feedback, especially from the local community, to guide the ultimate decision.
“We know that this is this has been a challenge for the communities,” Mitchell said. “It’s a challenge for anybody who has enjoyed the wilderness back there. And we’re working as fast as we can to get the planning study up and running.”
WSDOT hopes to have the initial work completed quickly. However, even with $ 9 billion in new taxes just passed by the legislature and the governor, there is no money earmarked for this project.
“We don’t have funding to rebuild the bridge, to replace the bridge, to repair the bridge, or to even take it down at this point,” Mitchell said.
WSDOT blames this closure on the legislature’s long history of deferring maintenance on this bridge, citing its spending priorities. There is a nine-mile, one-lane emergency detour into the area south of the bridge, but it is only for locals.
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