University Place
University Place, WA · Traffic & Transit
Tacoma News Tribune
Major update on Tacoma Narrows Bridge repairs will affect commuters
Construction delays on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge are ending a week sooner than expected, the state’s transportation department has announced. The Washington State Department of Transportation said Friday that maintenance crews have reopened the two right lanes of the 1950 Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the ramp from Jackson Avenue to westbound state Route 16, effective 11:40 a.m. “The afternoon commute from Tacoma to Gig Harbor just got a lot easier,” the department said in the announcement. The work to replace part one of the bridge’s aging expansion joints had been expected to last until Nov. 8, but WSDOT Olympic Region Administrator MaryLou Shannon said the problems “only reveal themselves when you get into the repair.” “Thanks to substantial initial preparation, planning and expert staff, we were able to complete the repair ahead of schedule,” Shannon said. Bridge engineers inspected the new partial bridge joint prior to the lanes reopening, WSDOT said, and crews will monitor the bridge in the coming weeks to ensure the joint is working properly. Additional repairs are expected next year, WSDOT said.