Puyallup's Milwaukee Bridge To Close For 18 Months Starting Weds

PUYALLUP, WA — Starting Wednesday, October 7, the Milwaukee Bridge will be closed to all traffic for 18 months straight.

The city says the bridge, also known as the 5th St Bridge, is "structurally deficient" and needs extensive repairs before it can safely be reopened to traffic.

The closure could cause some serious problems for commuters, as it's one of only two local bridges inside the city that cross the Puyallup river. According to the city, construction will repurpose much of the bridge's current structure, strengthening the concrete that's already in place.

A federal grant has paid for most of the construction costs.