I-5 temporary span opens to traffic

Crew members finished installation of the temporary span on Monday but still needed to finish paving. The bridge opened to traffic today. (Photo: WSDOT)Crew members finished installation of the temporary span on Monday but still needed to finish paving. The bridge opened to traffic today. (Photo: WSDOT)

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced this morning that the Interstate 5 temporary span is now open to traffic, though the bridge has some restrictions.

WSDOT is routing freight haulers carrying oversize or overweight loads around the temporary section of the bridge; maps and details about those detours are available at wsdot.wa.gov/Construction/PugetSound/detourmap. Vehicles that do travel over the new span are limited to a speed of 40 mph between State Route 20 and College Way.

The span temporarily replaces the portion of the I-5 bridge that collapsed into the Skagit River last month after it was struck by an oversize truck. A permanent span will eventually replace the temporary portion.

The temporary span was completed within the time frame WSDOT previously estimated.

The video below shows a time lapse of the span’s completion.

[youtube 5CSBFzJdMGs nolink]

WSDOT awarded Max J. Kuney Construction of Spokane, Washington, the $6.87 million contract to build the permanent span replacement. WSDOT announced that the contractor will likely begin work on the bridge this week and have it ready for installation sometime between Labor Day and October 1.

For more information about the I-5 Skagit River Bridge replacement, visit wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I5/SkagitRiverBridgeReplacement.