During recent inspections, including an in-depth one on Oct 27th, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Inspectors found advanced deterioration of a steel support beam beneath the deck of the George Washington Memorial Bridge, a.k.a. the Aurora Highway 99 Bridge.
Immediately, WSDOT closed the right lane of the historic bridge, as a precaution, until a repair plan could be put in place. They’ve now hired Guy F. Atkinson Construction to complete the repairs.
Starting on Thursday, October 31st, at 9p, the Aurora Bridge will be reduced to two lanes in each direction, around the clock, for ten days. The lane closures will provide the contracting crews with space to work, and do the repairs. Temporary lane markings will shift a single lane of southbound traffic into the northbound lanes, to allow two lanes of travel in each direction.
The bridge is safe for traffic, but travelers should be aware of the lane configurations and limitations – and the possibilities of delays. To help ease any congestion people who usually drive over the Aurora Bridge should consider taking alternative transportation, such as transit, cycling, walking or carpooling. For those cycling and walking, the Bridge walkway on the west side will be closed over the approximate 10 days of repairs, but the east side walkway will remain open.
For more information, check in on the WSDOT website news page (click here.) To read a blog post about the inspection and the need for immediate repairs, visit the WSDOT blog (click here.)