White River Bridge reopens to traffic

ENUMCLAW, Wash. – After nearly a week of repairs, the White River Bridge between Buckley and Enumclaw is back open.

Crews from the Washington State Department of Transportation reopened the bridge just before 1 a.m. on Saturday. The bridge had been closed for nearly a week after damage from an over-height vehicle was found during a routine inspection of the bridge, which carries SR 410 over the White River.

“We want to thank everyone for their patience during the emergency closure of this vital link between the communities of Enumclaw and Buckley,” WSDOT Regional Administrator Lorena Eng said in a statement. “We are pleased our contractors could complete the temporary repairs within a week, and that these two communities can now get back to their normal travel routines.”

Crews were able to repair the damaged bridge beam after a temporary support structure was erected. Permanent repairs are scheduled to begin later in the year. WSDOT estimates the cost of the repairs to get the bridge back open, and the coming permanent repairs, to be around $1.5 million.

The Washington State Patrol is still seeking any witnesses who may have seen the over-height vehicle hit the bridge in the days before the closure. Those with information are asked to call WSP at 425-401-7788.