Work on Riverside Bridge will bring closures
A project planned for this summer will bring closures to the Hoquiam Riverside Bridge.
The Washington State Department of Transportation says that work will be done to replace and repair two machine rooms that help operate the US 101 Hoquiam River Riverside Bridge.
The work, scheduled to start this summer, will include repairs to the existing machine rooms and wall systems, removing the old machine room, and painting the operating room.
According to WSDOT, since the fall of 2019, the machine rooms have experienced ceiling leaks and compromised electrical equipment due to heavy rainfall and aging gear. Because of the aging rooms and use, the machine and operation room walls are said to be unstable and pose safety concerns for bridge crews during routine inspections and bridge openings.
In fall of 2021, contractor crews completed painting the approaches to the US 101 Hoquiam River Riverside Bridge. Earlier repairs were completed on time and for approximately $1 million. Due to programming and environmental constraints related to the barge work, the earlier contract could not be combined into the existing one.
In late March, Rognlin’s, Inc. was awarded the contract for the current project.
In order to do the work, a large crane will lift materials, including new walls and a roofing system to the machine rooms on top of the bridge.
During construction, the bridge will close nightly for up to eight consecutive nights. During the overnight work, travelers will follow a signed detour around the construction zone via local streets. Details on the dates of the night closures will be announced once they are confirmed by the contractor.
Travelers may also see intermittent daytime lane and shoulder closures to allow crews to hoist up materials to the machine rooms above the roadway.
The US 101 Hoquiam River Riverside Bridge is one of five movable bridges in Grays Harbor County in need of repairs, according to WSDOT. They say that they have developed a comprehensive plan to strategically address bridge maintenance and ongoing preservation needs over the next several years.