When the bridge is more troubled than the waters…

By liv Stecker

In 1948, a massive steel cantilever truss bridge replaced the rickety wooden bridge that had spanned the Columbia River outside of Northport since 1897. The new bridge was constructed during the Civilian Conservation Corps development boom after World War II and was a much needed upgrade for the steady stream of logging and mining traffic through the Northport area at the time. For 65 years, the bridge has seen the turning wheels of countless commercial trucks, recreating tourists and locals who reside along the north bank of the Columbia river.

State Highway 25, or the Coulee Reservoir Highway, traces the path of the Columbia River as it transitions into Lake Roosevelt and then back in the river proper just before the Canadian Border. The Highway spans Lake Roosevelt near this transition point in one of the few river crossings in the Northeastern corner of the state. As such, it provides crucial access to communities up and down the Columbia River around Northport and one of the main border crossing stations into British Columbia.

According to the Washington State Department of Transportation website, between 500-800 vehicles use the Northport Bridge every day, with commercial trucks accounting for 40% of this traffic. In December, WSDOT engineers performed an in depth assessment of the historic bridge that led to the discovery of heavy rust on the load bearing bolts of the structure. “We were surprised at the depth of corrosion we found within these bolts during our inspection,” said Bridge Preservation Engineer Harvey Coffman, in a statement for WSDOT. Immediate travel restrictions were placed on the bridge while further tests evaluated the safe load bearing potential of the bridge in it’s current condition.

An initial press release on January 5th from WSDOT issued a 10,000 lb weight limit and emergency flaggers conducted a one-car-at-a-time crossing operation that created wait times for travelers upwards of two hours. After the first public announcement, rumors about the imminent collapse of the bridge were swirling as residents watched a steady increase of heavy traffic continue across the bridge. In a letter to WSDOT, Christy Phillips voiced the concern of many local citizens, “IS this bridge truly safe to cross at all? Does it need replaced instead of repaired?”

The initial press release was revised two days later, clarifying a miscommunication and increasing the safe weight limit of the bridge to 105,500 lbs, allowing for the passage of multiple vehicles in single lane travel on the bridge. To relieve pressure on the corroded bolts, concrete barrier sections have been stacked at either end of the bridge, while engineers develop a repair strategy for the historic structure. According to Harold White, Assistant Regional Administrator for Maintenance and Operations, in response to Phillip’s query, “The bridge is not in need of replacement however a repair plan is being developed that will bring the bridge back to its previous load carrying ability without the added weight or load restrictions.”

The lightened travel restrictions came as a relief to many local commuters and commercial haulers, as wait times at the bridge currently don’t exceed 15 minutes. A temporary traffic light has been placed at the bridge, the first and only stoplight in Northport’s traffic history, and business as usual goes on in the small town.

According to Glenn Wagemann, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Eastern Region Maintenance and Traffic Engineer, routine inspections are performed every 24 months according to state and federal regulations. Underwater inspections of the bridge are performed as required every 60 months, or 5 years. Northport bridge was last inspected in June of 2015, and the most recent underwater inspection happened in September of 2014. The in-depth inspection of December, 2016, was conducted after the acquisition of new ultra sound equipment that could analyze the depth of corrosion more accurately. Concerns that were first raised during a 2004 inspection and voiced by engineers again in 2012 and 2013 were validated by the ultrasound findings. Maintenance and repairs conducted after the 2004 inspection were believed to have been adequate to support weight loads, but with advanced technology it was more readily apparent the depth of corrosion that hadn’t been adequately ascertained during previous inspections. With the help of ultrasound, Wagemann says, “it was determined that a hard outer pack of rust existed.  When the rust was removed, it was found to have resulted in a significant section loss to the anchor bolts. A subsequent structural analysis determined the current situation of the bridge, and the need to restrict weights on the bridge.”

In response to the inquiries of concerned citizens about bridge access for emergency services, Mr. White stated, “Because of the one way traffic it is very challenging to make accommodations for emergency services to allow them to cross safely on a 24/7 basis.  We have been and will remain in contact with the emergency services to keep them informed and reduce delay as much as possible.” Shortly after this communication, 24 hour contact points were established for emergency personnel to reach traffic controllers and gain immediate crossing access.

White says that while repair schedules haven’t been drawn up yet, Wagemann says that the project will likely take place during May or June of this year due to weather restrictions on the repairs needed. The time frame is troubling for many bridge travelers, and especially for the commercial interests who feel the impact of even a 15 minute delay in hectic transport schedules. For now, the extra 15 minutes that school employees and others who have to get to Northport on a daily basis, is a welcome relief from the initial hours-long wait times. Karen Plum, the Kindergarten/1st grade teacher in Northport who lives across the river on Flat Creek Road, has mixed feelings “I am happy that they caught the error,” she says in reference to the safety issue, “but it is an inconvenience at times.”

WSDOT officials updated the official press release on January 12th, informing travelers of the automated traffic controls in place and the safe weight bearing capacity of the bridge. For more information about the bridge and official updates, go to http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/news/2017/01/05/weight-and-lane-restrictions-needed-sr-25-columbia-river-bridge-northport or call WSDOT at 509-324-6015.