Night, single lane closures start Monday, June 26, on the Lewis and Clark Bridge across the Columbia River
The bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic for up to eight days starting July 16. During the full bridge closure, the Wahkiakum County Ferry will be open with priority to medical services
Nightly lane closures begin Monday, June 26 in preparation for a full bridge closure of up to eight days starting July 16.
June 20, 2023
Contacts:
WSDOT, Kelly Hanahan, 360-905-2076
ODOT, Don Hamilton, 503-704-7452
Nightly single lane closures of the Lewis and Clark Bridge will begin Monday night June 26, as crews prepare for full closure of the bridge in July that could last for as long as eight days.
The night single lane closures are a major step in the project to replace two expansion joints and a fractured floor beam on the 93-year-old bridge between Rainier and Longview, Washington.
Closing the only bridge across the Columbia River between Astoria and Portland may create hardships for communities along the river and require residents to reschedule medical and other important appointments.
During the night lane closures, northbound and southbound traffic, controlled by flaggers, will share the open lane and alternate crossings.
The lane closure schedule:
- 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sundays through Fridays.
- 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Fridays to Saturdays
- 8 p.m. to 9 a.m. Saturdays to Sundays.
Single lane closures will resume after completion of the July 16 full bridge closure.
No lane closures will take place over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, Friday, June 30 through Tuesday July 5, or on Saturday, July 8 for Rainier Days.
The five-week construction schedule of nighttime lane closures and the bridge closure of up to eight days shortens the construction timeline for this $1 million preservation project. It also avoids months of daytime single lane closures that would create congestion throughout Southwest Washington and Northwest Oregon.
Last April 12, bridge inspectors discovered a fractured floor beam resulting in an emergency 12-hour closure. Prior to that discovery, the bridge was scheduled to close for up to six days for the expansion joint replacement work. Because of the April 12 discovery, the closure has been extended to accommodate the additional work of installing a new floor beam.
“Safety is our number one priority during the closure of this critical bridge, for travelers, construction crews and those who need access across the river for life-saving medical care,” said WSDOT Southwest Region Administrator Carley Francis. “We are asking the public to avoid use of the low-capacity Wahkiakum County Ferry in order to prioritize its use for first responders, healthcare workers and patients needing medical care who can’t wait.”
Construction schedule
The full closure of the Lewis and Clark Bridge for up to eight days begins at 8 p.m. on Sunday, July 16.
- Emergency vehicles – including only ambulances with active critical medical needs or law enforcement emergency response – can use the bridge during the closure except when crews install the new floor beam. This work will take place soon after the start of the July 16 closure.
- Due to safety, no park and ride facilities are available.
- There will be no single lane closures during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, Friday, June 30 to Tuesday, July 4, or Saturday July 8 for Rainier Days.
- For the safety of travelers and the construction crew, the work zone will have reduced speed limits.
Plan for longer travel times
During the following times travelers should expect longer delays and congestion due to nighttime single lane closures:
- 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday through Friday.
- 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Friday to Saturday.
- 8 p.m. to 9 a.m. Saturday to Sunday.
Plan ahead for lengthy detours
During the closure, all traffic crossing the Columbia River will detour to either U.S. 101 Astoria-Megler Bridge between Astoria and Megler, Washington or the Interstate Bridge on Interstate 5 between Vancouver and Portland.
Ferry service
The Wahkiakum County Ferry between Cathlamet, Washington and Westport will run twice an hour, 24 hours a day while the bridge is closed. This ferry has extremely limited capacity and its use should be reserved for urgent matters that do not require an ambulance. A priority lane will be established and enforced to accommodate ambulances and first responders on return trips from the hospital in Longview; healthcare and first responder commutes to work; and medical needs like chemotherapy or other critical but non-emergency medical appointments. All other travelers should expect hours of lengthy wait times and long lines.
Medical access
Depending on where people begin and end their travel, using the detour routes can add upwards of two and a half hours of travel time. People who use the SR 433 Lewis and Clark Bridge to access scheduled medical services should plan their travel time with this in mind and contact their providers to confirm or reschedule their appointments.
The traveling public can stay up-to-date on bridge repair news and closure dates may subscribe to email alerts for this project.
For real time traffic updates in Oregon go to TripCheck.com.
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