Two state-owned bridges in Clark County are considered structurally deficient: the northbound East Fork Lewis River Bridge, which carries Interstate 5 over the river near La Center, and a steel suspension span on state Highway 503 in north Clark County.
When crews finished repainting both spans of the North Fork Lewis River Bridge recently, it added years of life to the aging structure that carries Interstate 5 across the Clark-Cowlitz county line.
That’s because the paint job was more than cosmetic. Workers use specialized bridge paint that protects the structure and prevents corrosion, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
But that bridge isn’t the only one in the region that needs work — far from it. Farther south down I-5, near La Center, the East Fork Lewis River Bridge is considered “structurally deficient” on one side, with a sufficiency rating of just 33 out of 100, according to WSDOT.
The East Fork Lewis River Bridge is one of many spans that the state has eyed for replacement. But despite its condition, and its location on a major corridor, the bridge hasn’t climbed high enough on the priority list to receive funding. There’s a limited pot of money for state bridge improvements, said WSDOT area engineer Lori Figone. In the meantime, drivers shouldn’t worry about using the East Fork bridge spans, she said.
“They’re safe to drive on,” Figone said. “If they weren’t, they’d be closed.”
The East Fork Lewis River Bridge is one of 139 structurally deficient bridges in the state as of last year, according to WSDOT. But it’s only the northbound span, built in 1936, that falls into that category, said agency spokeswoman Tamara Hellman. The newer southbound side of the bridge is considered functionally obsolete, but not structurally deficient, she said.
The only other state-owned bridge categorized as structurally deficient in Clark County is a steel suspension span on state Highway 503 in the northern part of the county. That structure, built in 1932, has been prioritized for “rehabilitation,” according to WSDOT.
Last month, state transportation officials announced a list of 32 bridges across Washington that will receive a combined $70 million to get fixed or replaced. None are in Clark County.
Painting is only one way the state repairs its bridges. The spans on this year’s funding list are also in line for seismic retrofits, deck overlays, complete replacements or other treatments.
In the case of the North Fork Lewis River Bridge, the repainting that wrapped up in November was its first in 23 years. The $12 million job finished a year ahead of schedule thanks to favorable weather and other factors, Figone said. After stripping off the old paint, crews with contractor Geronimo Painting Company started with the expansive steel workings below the bridge deck before moving to the supports above, she said.
“There’s just as much steel under the roadway as there is on top,” Figone said.
The issue of bridge safety has taken on a higher profile since 2013, when the collapse of a bridge in Skagit County severed I-5 and made national headlines. A section of the span fell into the Skagit River after a truck collided with its overhead support structure.
Each state-owned bridge is inspected and evaluated every two years, Figone said. Recently, crews have also cleaned bridges more thoroughly before inspections to make them easier, she said.
Even if WSDOT’s approach to bridge safety didn’t change after the Skagit County incident, public perception of the issue did, Hellman said.
“I think that people are now more aware that these things can break and break down if not taken care of,” she said.
