Pierce County will close access to the Lacamas Creek Bridge for approximately three months beginning in July in order to replace the two-lane, 61-year-old span.
The bridge, which is located east of Roy—along 288th Street South and east of 48th Avenue South—will be replaced with a pre-cast concrete slab bridge with paved shoulders. The approaches to the bridge will also be reconstructed, and erosion control measures will be installed. A 7.5-mile detour will take motorists along 40th Avenue South, Tisch Road South, and 72nd Avenue South.
“The existing bridge was not designed to accommodate modern vehicle loads and volumes,” said Pierce County Public Works bridge engineering supervisor Kraig Shaner. “Maintenance needs have been increasing as the bridge ages. The replacement will remove all current deficiencies and make the passage over Lacamas Creek more dependable for the traveling public.”
The existing bridge deck is made of creosote-treated timber beams covered by concrete planks, according to Shaner, and is supported by concrete abutments and footings.
The contractor for the project is Zemek Construction. The construction cost is approximately $840,600. The project will be funded with $672,480 in Federal Highway Bridge Program Replacement Funds and $168,120 in Pierce County Road Funds.
The span is scheduled to close on Mon., July 13, and re-open in mid-October.
More information is available online here.
A 7.5-mile detour will will be in place while the existing bridge is demolished and a new bridge is constructed. The span is scheduled to close on Mon., July 13, and re-open in mid-October. (IMAGE COURTESY PIERCE COUNTY)
