Construction Impacts
Full weekend closures of the bridge have ended for summer but will resume after Labor Day weekend 2022. Weekday nights travelers can expect to see delays of up to 20 minutes due to single lane closures. During these times, traffic will be controlled by flaggers. A temporary construction speed zone has been put in place across the bridge, reducing the speed to 35 mph. This speed reduction will remain in effect until the project is completed.
When weekend closures resume later this year, a detour will route traffic across the bridge at Biggs Junction. See map.
Project Update 4/29/22:
Crews are still working hard to replace the bridge deck on U.S. 197 over the Columbia River, but will not wrap up work by Memorial Day as they’d originally planned. The last full weekend closure before summer happened Monday May 9. Crews will continue to work at night through mid-July.
We have paused the closures so the road system can better handle increased traffic from tourists, wildfire responders and agricultural workers.
Weekend closures will resume after Labor Day. Without these closures, there is no other way for us to complete the complex deck replacement. Weekend closures ensure that the bridge won’t be closed entirely for an extended period of time.
We will continue to meet with stakeholders over the next few months to review emergency operations and to discuss how to reduce the impacts caused by this delayed project completion.
A revised construction schedule detailing the weekend closures after Labor Day will be shared this summer.
Schedule
Contract Bid Let - Fall 2020
Construction - Spring 2021 - 2023