Washington Closes 103-Year-Old Bridge Due To Structural Deterioration

The Washington State Department of Transportation on Tuesday announced the permanent closure of a 103-year-old bridge due to structural deterioration.

WSDOT said 494-foot Fairfax Bridge on State Route 165 over the Carbon River, about three miles south of Carbonado, was initially closed April 14 after an inspection revealed further deterioration of steel supports, and followup inspections resulted in the decision to permanently close the bridge Tuesday.

Photos shared by the department show rusted and corroded steel beams. One photo showed “visible deformation and compression, which can lead to bridge failure,” officials said. Another photo showed a support column that was “bent in two directions” and “starting to buckle.”

“Its very apparent from the visual changes in the columns that the bridge is no longer safe to use,” WSDOT Olympic Region Administrator Steve Roark, said in a statement Tuesday.

The bridge provided the only vehicle access to Mount Rainier National Parks Mowich Lake Entrance, the Carbon River Ranger Station and other outdoor recreation areas. With the bridge closed, there is no public access to these areas from SR 165.

A 9-mile emergency access detour is available for first responders and local property owners south of the bridge, WSDOT said.

“Closing the bridge was our last option. We fully understand the magnitude of this decision for everyone who relies on this bridge,” Roark said.

The agency said it has initiated a planning study to decide whether to replace the bridge where it is now, re-route SR 165, or to simply not replace the bridge at all.

The bridge originally opened in 1921, and it officials have been monitoring its deterioration for years. In 2013, commercial vehicles were restricted from crossing the bridge, and last year the bridge’s load rating was reduced to 16,000 pounds. WSDOT said the deterioration is the result of “years of deferred preservation due to lack of funding.”

Washington has approximately 3,600 bridges, and the average age of state-owned bridges is 51 years. Bridges are expected to have a service life of around 75 years. WSDOT said the state owns 315 bridges that are 80 years old or older.