Repairs bring daytime closures of westbound US 12 Wishkah River Bridge in Aberdeen

ABERDEEN – Daytime travelers who both walk and roll across the 100-year-old US 12 Wishkah River Bridge in Aberdeen will want to plan for additional travel time.

From 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday, July 21, and Tuesday, July 22, Washington State Department of Transportation crews will close the westbound bridge to all traffic. 

During the closure, the eastbound US 12 Heron Street Bridge will be reconfigured to accommodate two-way travel for most vehicles and pedestrians. Travelers can expect congestion and some delays while the detour is in place.

Due to restrictions on the Heron Street Bridge, overweight vehicles will need to detour from US 12 to US 101 and State Route 107 during work on the Wishkah River Bridge.

About the work

In June, WSDOT bridge engineers reduced the maximum gross vehicle weight for the bridge after inspections revealed cracks and advanced decay in aging steel beams underneath the bridge deck. A temporary detour was put in place for vehicles exceeding the posted weight restrictions until repairs could be made. 

During the 12-hour closures, crews will reinforce the beams with new steel plates. Additional closures may be needed to complete the repair. Once the repair is complete and inspected, the weight restriction and detour will be removed. WSDOT will provide an update once the information is available.

The work requires daylight hours so crews can see into tight spaces underneath the bridge deck. The bridge cannot carry any vehicle loads during the work.

About the bridge

Built in 1925, the US 12 Wishkah River Bridge is one of five moveable highway bridges in Grays Harbor County. The 100-year-old, single-leaf bascule-span bridge carries an average of 16,392 vehicles a day across the Wishkah River. A bascule bridge is a type of drawbridge that moves in an upward swing to allow for marine traffic to pass. Like other bridges in the area, it is exposed to weather and needs constant upkeep. Additional work is scheduled for the bridge starting in 2026. 

WSDOT regularly inspects bridges and categorizes bridges by condition. The condition scale is good, fair and poor. These condition ratings help plan inspections and schedule long-term repairs. WSDOT crews can and do close or restrict any bridge that is deemed not safe for travel. Both the US 12 Wishkah River Bridge and the US 12 Heron Street Bridge are listed in poor condition.

As of June 2024: 

• 133 WSDOT-owned bridges were load-posted or load-restricted.
• 315 WSDOT-owned bridges are at least 80 years old. 

A bridge is expected to have a service life of 75 years based on current standards. The average age of state-owned vehicular bridges is 51 years.

Before heading out the door, check the WSDOT app and statewide travel map for real-time information. Sign up for email updates to get the latest on road work in Grays Harbor County.