Tom Warne Report, 19 July 2013
WASHINGTON – The bridge construction team in Washington state is planning to bring the permanent replacement of the I-5 Skagit River Bridge online just after Labor Day, and traffic will only be disrupted briefly in the process. Traffic has been traveling on a temporary span since a section of the bridge collapsed May 23.
State DOT spokesman Travis Phelps said crews have already started driving piles next to the original and temporary sections of the bridge.
“Essentially what they’re building is a platform to build the new permanent span on,” Phelps said. Initially, the contractor had planned on a two-week disruption to traffic, but it will now only be just a few days. “It’s pretty intense work and it involves lifting an entire bridge, or two entire bridges, moving them out of the way and one into place,” he said. “We’ll get this done quicker than originally anticipated.”
The permanent replacement of the bridge is costing about $7 million.