Crews from the Washington State Department of Transportation will once again close the Murray Morgan Bridge to vehicle traffic Sept. 21. Crews have closed the bridge several times over the past month to thoroughly inspect the 95-year-old structure.

The bridge will close to traffic from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. while crews continue cable inspections. On Friday, crews will inspect the bridge cables while the span is lifted. 58 of the 64 cables that sustain the bridge have been in service since the bridge was built in the early 1900s.

During the bridge closure, a signed detour directing motorists to Pacific Ave to SR 509 will be in place. The detour adds approximately 10 minutes to the commute.

Another bridge inspection occurs in October as part of the Murray Morgan’s routine schedule. Most bridges maintained by WSDOT are inspected at least once every two years, but dilapidation of the Murray Morgan Bridge has crews inspecting it on a six-month cycle since 2005.

Daily, the Murray Morgan Bridge carries 1,300 vehicles between the Port of Tacoma and the city’s downtown. Drivers can call 5-1-1 or visit http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/ for road and traffic updates.