I-5 Bridge Collapse at Mount Vernon, WA

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021046062_bridgesafetyxml.html
discusses the bridge design and how it was vulnerable to truck damage.

It mentions the Stillaguamish River crossing further south. The south bound bridge is a similar design. Damage there could have caused greater problems. Other than the north bound lanes, detours are further away. And it is higher above the river, so a fall could have been more deadly.

Looks like wsdot is revising the detour map
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/pugetsound/today.htm
but according to this text description, they are routing a lot of traffic on to Riverside Drive bridge (old hwy 99). This is the shortest detour, and the bridge is a relatively modern 4 lane one.

They are also recommending the west detour (Best Rd and Fir Island Rd). There's a nice roadside market on that road.

Hwy 9 remains an option, but its bridge is only 2 lanes, and you have to go through the center of both Burlington and Sedrow-Woolley.

new detour map

WA9 is the way to the Abbotsford border crossing, and WSDOT improved the right angle curves prior to Vancouver Olympics. But I believe most access it from Bellingham, as opposed to getting on it in Sedro-Wooly (or points further south). WA539 is way to the Aldergrove crossing. 9 does not help with that.

As for Deception Pass camping, the Clinton ferry is another option.

Memorial Day Charts 2013 - I-5 Bellingham to Canadian Border
These are predicted traffic for the I5 border crossing for this weekend - based on past data, obviously without knowing about this bridge failure.

I wouldn't be surprised if WSDOT ups the capacity of the Clinton ferry run (though I don't know if they can). Another option is Amtrack Cascades run with stops in Bellingham, Mt Vernon and Stanwood.

WSDOT will probably add traffic cams on the detours. They have some portable ones that they use at construction sites.

Google Maps already shows the bride gone!

ps: Google maps still routes traffic over the bridge?

And, the Skagit Valley is farm land. On any backroads, you will be encountering farm machinery. But, you will be passing through some scenic areas and small communities like Edison, Bayview, Alger, Acme, etc. depending how far you swing over. if you really slow down, there are some nice areas to explore. A number of years ago, a proposal was made to make Hwy 9 a transportation corridor for commerce and light rail. But, the residents protested so that was shut down. Truckers actually do use it to get to Aldergrove, BC, a major city. Maybe, we should rethink this. Although, if I lived in the Acme Valley, I wouldn't like it either.

It's sounding like one of the vehicles that went in the water was a couple in a pickup towing a camping trailer. Glad they are both relatively ok! The husband sounds like a hero!

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/24/us/washington-bridge-collapse/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

He slammed on the brakes, but the momentum of his truck and trailer carried Sligh and his wife off the bridge and into the water dozens of feet below, he told CNN affiliate KOMO Thursday, hours after the incident some 60 miles north of Seattle.
"You hold on as tight as you can," Sligh said. Then, a "white flash and cold water."
The impact dislocated his shoulder, but the Navy veteran just popped it back in and dragged his unresponsive wife to safety.

There are 3 ways around this mess: (1) off I-5 through Conway and then the back roads through the tulip fields to WA-20 (and vice-versa), (2) the College Way exit off I-5 in Mt. Vernon and thewn up old 99 over the new bridge to WA-20 located at the I-5 Anacortes exit (and vice-versa, once again), (3) avoiding I-5 altogether and taking WA-9 anywhere between Woodinville and the Canadian border. These are all 2 lane roads and option (1) is 2 lane farm roads and option(3) north of Arlington is essentially a 2 lane, slow, little scenic drive all the way to Canada. Using it as a major north/south corridor at this time will clog all the small side roads back to the population/commerce centers in the I-5 corridor.

I-5 IS traffic and commerce between Seattle and Vancouver, BC. Losing the bridge over the bridge is devastating for this area, and to suggest that there are viable options and alternatives at this time is wishful thinking and a dream.

It is Memorial Day weekend. If you coming from south of here and have reservations for anywhere in Skagit or Whatcom Counties (i.e. Deception Pass SP, Birch Bay SP, Beachwood RV Resort, etc.), CANCEL THEM and swallow your cancellation fee. You'll be doing yourself a favor and the rest of us as well, because you will not be contributing to clogging the roads this weekend in N.W. Washington.

Tom/Barb wrote:
...
Coming South get off I-5 at Cook Rd, east to Sedro-wooley, more better than 20.

I suspect that soon WSDOT and the state patrol will make the choices for you.

If you are not in a rush, and not in a big vehicle there are interesting alternatives around this area.

When headed to Anacortes or Deception Pass I like to go by way of La Connor. I also go over that way if I want to hug the shore (Chuckanut Dr and Edison) on the way further north.

If headed east on WA20 I prefer to take WA530 through Arlington and Darrington. S Skagit Hwy is another way of going east before crossing the river. However with added traffic on 9 could make its intersection difficult.


I've done WA9 from the border to Snohomish, though even before this the part through Sedro-Wooly was slower than I like.

Tom/Barb wrote:

clikrf8 wrote:
Many truckers travel Hwy 9 to avoid the weigh station on Bow Hill. Now, they have a better excuse. We will make alternate plans when we head for eastern Oregon, probably Hwy 20 over the North Cascades Hwy.

Coming South get off I-5 at Cook Rd, east to Sedro-wooley, more better than 20.

That's what we do. Saves backtracking through Burlington.

clikrf8 wrote:
Many truckers travel Hwy 9 to avoid the weigh station on Bow Hill. Now, they have a better excuse. We will make alternate plans when we head for eastern Oregon, probably Hwy 20 over the North Cascades Hwy.

Coming South get off I-5 at Cook Rd, east to Sedro-wooley, more better than 20.