Bridge work to bring some closures in Grays Harbor

A project to work on local bridges will be ongoing for over a year.

The Washington State Department Transportation shared details on the Olympic Region Strategic Bridge Preservation project, stating that crews will repair and replace damaged driving surfaces of several bridges in Grays Harbor, Mason, Jefferson, and Kitsap Counties.

According to WSDOT, the driving surfaces of bridges can show their age and begin to crack, with that damage allowing water to seep into the subsurface of the bridge deck which can create even more damage. 

In order to make repairs, crews will close a portion of the area to remove and replace damaged areas of the bridge deck.

Local bridges included in this work will be in the east part of the county.

The process is weather-dependent and requires a curing time. This would mean closed lanes while the new concrete has time to harden. 

Depending on the bridge, travelers will see directional closures or detours during the work. WSDOT will announce specific information when it is scheduled. 

Construction is part of WSDOT’s effort to maximize the useful life of each bridge. Other bridge preservation work includes bridge seismic retrofits, bridge painting, and scour mitigation. 

While construction is scheduled to start on the work this spring, work is expected to continue until fall 2023.