Pierce County officials recently re-opened the Lacamas Creek Bridge following a 10-week project to replace the two-lane, 61-year-old span.

The original bridge—located east of Roy, along 288th Street South and just east of 48th Avenue South—was built in 1954, carried approximately 1,675 vehicles per day, was made of creosote-treated timber beams covered by concrete planks, and was supported by concrete abutments on spread footings. The bridge was closed on Mon., July 13 (see “Pierce County to replace Lacamas Creek Bridge,” Tacoma Daily Index, July 1, 2015), and a 7.5-mile detour took motorists along 40th Avenue South, Tisch Road South, and 72nd Avenue South while construction was under way. The new bridge is a pre-cast concrete slab with paved shoulders. The approaches to the new bridge have been reconstructed, and erosion control measures were installed.

“The [original] bridge was not designed to accommodate modern vehicle loads and volumes,” said Pierce County Public Works bridge engineering supervisor Kraig Shaner, who also noted maintenance needs were increasing as the original bridge aged. “The replacement was needed to accommodate modern vehicle loads and volumes, as well as address the increasing maintenance needs of an aging bridge. The replacement removed all deficiencies and makes passage over Lacamas Creek more dependable for the traveling public.”

The contractor for the project was Zemek Construction. The construction cost was approximately $840,600. The project was funded with $672,480 in Federal Highway Bridge Program (HBP) Replacement Funds and $168,120 in County Road Funds.

The bridge was originally scheduled to open in mid-October. However, Pierce County officials announced on Weds., Sept. 23, the project was completed early and the bridge is now open to traffic.

More information about the Lacamas Creek Bridge replacement project is available online here.

A 7.5-mile detour was in place while the original bridge was demolished and a new bridge was constructed. (IMAGE COURTESY PIERCE COUNTY)

The Lacamas Creek Bridge is located east of Roy—along 288th Street South and east of 48th Avenue South—in Pierce County. (IMAGE COURTESY PIERCE COUNTY)

Pierce County closed access to the Lacamas Creek Bridge for approximately 10 weeks beginning in July in order to replace the two-lane, 65-year-old span. (PHOTO COURTESY PIERCE COUNTY)

Zemek Construction constructs abutment foundations earlier this year as part of a project to replace the Lacamas Creek Bridge. (PHOTO COURTESY PIERCE COUNTY)