Pierce Co. Bridge Closed Permanently Over Safety Concerns: WSDOT

BUCKLEY, WA - WSDOT has closed a major Pierce County bridge along SR 162 permanently. That's because the Pioneer Way bridge over Spiketon Creek is apparently sinking.

The bridge was already scheduled for a 30-day closure when WSDOT crews discovered the problem on Aug. 16. The piers supporting the bridge are sinking, according to WSDOT. It's unclear what the state will do about the bridge. It would cost an estimated $2 million to sure-up the structure, but WSDOT said that's not a good investment for an 82-year-old bridge.

“This was not a decision we made lightly,” WSDOT Olympic Region Administrator John Wynands said in a press release. “We knew the bridge was reaching the end of its useful life and had already scheduled construction of a replacement bridge to begin in four years. Our goal with the deck repairs was to keep the bridge functional until then. Unfortunately the discovery of the pier settlement changed that.”

The detour around the bridge will send drivers north to SR 410 and down to either SR 165 or SR 162, depending on which direction you're driving. The Foothills Trail under the bridge will remain open.

Here's what the detour looks like:

Images courtesy WSDOT