Photos of the press conference are available here: ofmwagov.box.com/s/4vup1unmhxce6fq5sxmxgkbopxjc1g3r
ENUMCLAW – Governor Bob Ferguson joined community leaders, elected officials and WSDOT leadership today to announce that the State Route 410 White River Bridge connecting Enumclaw and Buckley will reopen ahead of schedule.
Based on an inspection Wednesday night, the anticipated opening date of the bridge is Friday, Oct. 17 between 5 p.m. and midnight. WSDOT will announce when the bridge has opened.
The bridge, a vital link between the two communities on SR410 east of Tacoma, has been closed since it was severely damaged after being struck by an over-height truck on Aug. 18. The original estimate was for the bridge to open between Oct. 31 and Nov. 14. Now, the bridge is expected to open weeks ahead of schedule.
“We made a commitment to reopen this bridge as quickly as possible,” Governor Ferguson said. “Thanks to the hard work of our crews, engineers and contractors seven days a week we’re opening weeks ahead of schedule. People just want government to work. Together we can move fast and solve big problems.”
“From day one, our commitment was clear: do the work right and restore this link as quickly and safely as possible,” said Secretary of Transportation Julie Meredith. “We appreciate the community’s resilience and partnership as we worked seven days a week to reopen the bridge.”
“The city of Enumclaw is very appreciative of Governor Ferguson, State Legislators in District 5, King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn and all of King County Council, WSDOT Secretary of Transportation Julie Meredith and her team members and especially the workers who completed this repair work safely and ahead of schedule,” Enumclaw Mayor Jan Molinaro said. “Our community can now return to normal activities that include life, work and the economics of our city. The reopening of the bridge so early will provide everyone with this opportunity.”
“On behalf of the City of Buckley, as well as our struggling small businesses, we would like to extend our most sincere appreciation to the Governor’s Office, the Washington State Department of Transportation, Atkinson Construction, and their subcontractors for a job extremely well done,” Buckley Mayor Beau Burkett said. “The recent emergency repair was handled with exceptional efficiency and timeliness. Your coordinated efforts under challenging circumstances are commendable, and your dedication to restoring service swiftly has not gone unnoticed. Thank you for your professionalism and commitment to serving the public need!”
“Governor Ferguson’s lightning quick response was remarkable — I’ve rarely seen government move this fast and decisively, and it came at the right moment,” said King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn, who represents District 9, which includes Enumclaw. “The White River Bridge is a vital artery for our community, connecting families, small businesses, schools, and first responders, with nearly 22,000 trips every day.”
The strike by the over-height truck caused significant structural damage to the bridge.
Due to the closure, Governor Ferguson declared an emergency in King and Pierce counties, which allows the state to seek federal funds to reimburse the cost of the repairs.
It also allowed the state to enter into an emergency contract with Guy F. Atkinson Construction to make the repairs. At the direction of Governor Ferguson, the contract required Atkinson to work seven days a week until the bridge reopened.
The bridge carries an average of 22,099 vehicles per day. Its closure caused significant adverse impacts on community members and businesses in King and Pierce counties, as well as local tribal businesses, due to reduced traffic.
The detour around the bridge was lengthy, adding more than an hour at times to travel.
The additional closure of the nearby SR 169 Green River Bridge between Enumclaw and Black Diamond further impacted local traffic. That bridge was closed in September after an inspection found worn girders supporting the bridge. Contractor crews working under an emergency contract fabricated and attached new steel to repair the girders and reopened that bridge on Oct. 13.
Economic Injury Disaster Loans available for area businesses
Last month, the U.S. Small Business Administration granted Governor Bob Ferguson’s formal request for a declaration to allow businesses impacted by the closure of the White River Bridge to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans through the agency. Economic Injury Disaster Loans, or EIDLs, provide necessary capital to help small businesses and nonprofits impacted by a disaster survive until normal operations can resume. The declaration covers local and tribal businesses and nonprofits in King and Pierce counties, as well as impacted businesses in Chelan, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Snohomish, Thurston and Yakima counties.
Businesses can apply for the low-interest loans online using the MySBA Loan Portal. For further information, impacted businesses can contact the SBA disaster assistance customer service center by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or by phone at 1-800-659-2955.