Pierce Transit is working on providing a limited shuttle service to help communities impacted by the ongoing White River Bridge closure.
In August, a semi-type truck crossing the bridge hit the steel over the roadway at a “high rate of speed,” damaging all 7 bridge panels, and closing the bridge to all traffic, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
The 76-year-old bridge is part of State Route 410. For drivers, the detour is a 38-mile round trip through Auburn that takes around an hour, depending on the traffic. For walkers and cyclists, the Foothills Trail Bridge, just upstream from the White River Bridge, can get people to and from Buckley and Enumclaw in a 20-minute bike ride.
King County Metro’s DART Route 915 added extended service to the Foothills Trail Bridge on weekdays while the state works on structural repairs.
You can view the stops and schedule here.
According to Pierce Transit, they received a request from the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management to provide a shuttle in Buckley to connect passengers to the south end of the Foothills Trail footbridge during peak morning and afternoon commutes.
A Pierce Transit response team collaborated with the City of Buckley’s Planners to determine a shuttle service within Buckley city limits.
The request is for a Monday through Friday service during peak times:
- Morning 6 a.m. – 10 a.m.
- Evening 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Pierce Transit says they are currently working alongside partner agencies to determine all pickup locations and service logistics.
While a start date hasn’t been established quite yet, Pierce Transit reassured community members that they are moving fast to iron out the details.
A temporary fix for the bridge is also in the works, and the state hopes to have one lane open on the bridge by mid-to-late September.
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