I-5 Skagit River Crossing Bridge Open

[Islandman]

WSDOT has announced that traffic is now moving north and south on the new temporary bridging across the Skagit River at Mt. Vernon, WA. Lanes are a littler narrower, and speed is reduced to 40mph across the structures, but everything is moving good. A neww permanent bridge will be built this fall to replace the temporary bridging.

[paulj]

brauneyz wrote:
Thank you all for the updates, as we are heading that way on Monday. Since this is an RVing forum, I assume this temp structure accommodates traditional RV's (height ~12'8")?

The replacement span does not have any overhead parts. It's a Bailey brigde type of span with thick, bolt together side trusses.

The remaining spans are as before. Due to the curvature of some of the truss members, overhead clearance is a bit less on the right side, more in the center.

webcam looking south on to the replacement span

[enblethen]

The bridge has been sub standard for years.
WSDOT Traffic division has not been following the MUTCD (Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices) for many years and getting worse.
Years ago, WSDOT added the center concrete barriar and narrowed the sholder placing the arc off the overhead into the driving lane.
WSDOT's Desing Manual says there should have been a clearance sign.
Federal Highways is paying for now. I would lay odds that if it goes to court, WSDOT will be found responsible.

[brauneyz]

Thank you all for the updates, as we are heading that way on Monday. Since this is an RVing forum, I assume this temp structure accommodates traditional RV's (height ~12'8")?

[paulj]

romore wrote:
Initially we were told the temporary span would not be available for several months, a permanent replacement could take a couple of years. Obviously somebody in Olympia got their wind up and rattled some chains.:B

I don't recall anyone (official) talking about months and years. The current time frame has been the plan since 3 days after the collapse.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2013/05/26_skagit-bridge-replacement-plan.htm

But the governor did push for quick work, and various permitting steps were sped up (e.g. getting verbal agreements on site before filling the full paper work).

WSDOT's also making a big deal that the contractor selected to install the permanent span is also the one who installed bridge beams in Vancouver (WA) over a weekend with 19 hrs to spare.

Some state legislators were asking why can't all road projects be done this fast. But the legislature itself isn't a model of getting things done fast.

Latest NTSB report (June 5)
http://www.ntsb.gov/news/2013/130605d.html

[n7bsn]

Golden_HVAC wrote:
That is great news.

I wonder what happened to the trucking company that had it's truck cross the bridge when the span fell? IS there a limit to what their insurance company must pay to repair the bridge?

Fred.

I suspect this will go to court.

*The Pilot Car driver is claiming her 16 ft pole didn't touch the bridge (but notes she was on the cell-phone at the time). Despite the fact the "high" side of the bridge was lower then that...
*The truck-driver is claiming he was "pushed over" by another trucker passing him on the bridge
*The truck-driver stopped, right after the bridge went down and waited for the State Patrol
*Both WS-DOT and NTSB say the Pilot Car driver wouldn't talk to them for days afterward, in-fact they went on the news to "comment" about how she was not talking.

[romore]

Initially we were told the temporary span would not be available for several months, a permanent replacement could take a couple of years. Obviously somebody in Olympia got their wind up and rattled some chains.:B

[downtheroad]

Here is the temporary span....
Opened today. 40mph speed limit, no over sized loads.

[Golden_HVAC]

That is great news.

I wonder what happened to the trucking company that had it's truck cross the bridge when the span fell? IS there a limit to what their insurance company must pay to repair the bridge?

Fred.