Open house tonight for PI bridge project

Drivers urged to plan ahead for nighttime bridge closures this summer

Community members are invited to an open house Thursday, Feb. 23, to learn more about construction work beginning this summer on the State Route 409 Puget Island Bridge.

Contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will replace the bridge deck and repaint the structure. The project will remove worn asphalt and aged timber decking and replace it with a new steel grate bridge deck. The steel superstructure will be cleaned and then repainted.

"This work is more than just making the bridge look good," said project engineer Joanna Lowrey, "We're preserving this important transportation infrastructure, extending its useful life for decades to come."

Open house information

• When: 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23

• Where: Norse Hall, 144 State Hwy 409, Puget Island

• Details: This is a drop-in open house. WSDOT staff will be available to discuss the project, take feedback and answer questions.

What can drivers expect?

When work begins later this summer, drivers should plan ahead for 5-day workweeks, with 8-hour closures, for up to 80-days, while crews replace the timber bridge deck. Based on community survey responses, bridge deck replacement work will be done during overnight hours. During bridge painting work, a temporary signal will be installed and traffic will alternate through a single-lane of the bridge.

WSDOT is working with local emergency services to ensure access on and off the island during closures of the bridge. Work on the $13.9 million project is scheduled to begin later this summer and be completed in early 2019.