Governor Ferguson points emergency proclamation on broken White River Bridge

SEATTLE — Governor Bob Ferguson at this time declared an emergency in King and Pierce counties because of the closure of the White River Bridge between Buckley and Enumclaw. The bridge was severely broken after being struck by a semi-truck on Aug. 18.

The Washington State Department of Transportation took quick motion, implementing emergency measures, closing the bridge and establishing a detour. WSDOT has been working to guage the harm and plan for short-term repairs as quickly as doable. WSDOT groups had been on the bridge instantly after the collision, conducting inspections and taking measurements for short-term repairs. WSDOT has already began fabricating items and securing different supplies for the repairs.

The emergency proclamation permits the state to hunt federal funds to reimburse the work presently underway to restore the bridge, and work into the long run. The proclamation is accessible right here.

“The White River Bridge is a critical lifeline to these communities, and we are doing all we can to get it reopened as quickly as possible,” Governor Ferguson stated. “The work is happening right now, and this declaration will ensure we can seek federal reimbursement to protect state dollars.”

Work already underway

Structural harm extends the total size of the bridge and consists of horizontal and vertical parts. Engineers are presently reviewing the info collected and are operating fashions to higher perceive the extent of the harm and decide repairs, reopening choices and timelines. 

WSDOT is assembly virtually day by day with native companions to offer updates, reply questions and coordinate on the response.