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White River Bridge to reopen Friday, weeks ahead of schedule

White River Bridge projected to open in November The White River Bridge is being worked on after it was hit by a semi-truck. (Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio) (Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio)

Originally posted at MyNorthwest.com

Governor Bob Ferguson announced Thursday that the White River Bridge will reopen Friday evening after it was damaged by a truck earlier this year.

The 76-year-old bridge that connects Enumclaw and Buckley will open weeks ahead of schedule after initial projections expected the bridge to open in November.

The White River Bridge is expected to reopen between 5 p.m. and midnight on Friday.

“We understood how challenging the situation was for the community, its individuals, businesses, you name it,” Ferguson said. “That message was loud and clear, and was not lost on anybody about how vital this bridge is to this community.”

Governor Ferguson claimed seven-day-a-week work schedules, collaboration between teams, and luck contributed to the bridge opening ahead of schedule.

“We pledged at that time we would do everything we could, working together, working with our partners, elected officials, community leaders, businesses, and do everything we could to open this bridge as soon as possible,” Ferguson said. “A lot can go wrong on a project like this. We’re very excited to announce today that this bridge will open tomorrow.”

White River Bridge scheduled to reopen Friday

The White River Bridge has been shut down since Aug. 18 and has undergone permanent repair work since its closure.

The closure had forced drivers onto a signed detour via State Route 164, State Route 18, and State Route 167, which can add up to an hour to travel times during peak periods.

Damage to the White River Bridge was estimated between $5 and $6 million and was expected to remain closed to traffic until sometime between Oct. 31 and Nov. 15.

Ferguson issued an emergency proclamation on Aug. 27 that allowed the state to seek federal funding to reimburse the ongoing and future work being done to repair the bridge.

“The White River Bridge is a critical lifeline to these communities, and we are doing all we can to get it reopened as quickly as possible,” Ferguson previously stated. “The work is happening right now, and this declaration will ensure we can seek federal reimbursement to protect state dollars.”

In September, crews installed temporary braces. That work was completed ahead of schedule, allowing the contractor to get started early. Workers replaced damaged steel, heat-straightened bent components, and repainted affected areas.

Contributing: Frank Lenzi, KIRO Newsradio; James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio

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