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Washington State Department of Transportation – NEWS
Northwest Region – 15700 Dayton Ave. N. – Shoreline, WA 98133 – 206-440-4000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 24, 2026
Contact: David Rasbach, communications, 206-719-0603 (mobile)
Two-week closure of SR 536 Skagit River Bridge planned to accelerate completion of preservation work before Thanksgiving
Emergency service, pedestrian, bike access maintained during full closure
MOUNT VERNON – The State Route 536 Skagit River/Division Street Bridge will close to traffic in both directions for two weeks beginning the first week of November to complete a bridge painting project nearly four months early.
Provided weather cooperates, this change should allow the Washington State Department of Transportation to open the bridge in both directions and restore full access to Mount Vernon businesses and communities on either side of the Skagit River in time for Thanksgiving and the holiday season. Heavy rain during the full closure could delay reopening the bridge.
“We appreciate the partnership of our contractor in working with us to find a way to complete this work more efficiently,” Melissa Ambler, WSDOT assistant region administrator for the Mount Baker area said. “Changing the traffic control plan at this stage takes coordination and flexibility, and their willingness to work through those details with us gives us an opportunity to finish the preservation work before Thanksgiving, weather permitting. We’re grateful for that partnership and for the community’s continued cooperation while we get this work done.”
WSDOT originally expected to complete work on the project in early 2027, before the start of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. The change in strategy was made in coordination with WSDOT’s contractor and Mount Vernon officials to efficiently complete necessary preservation work quickly and safely and lessen the impact of the work on Mount Vernon communities near the bridge.
"This is a solution that prioritizes the small business community in Mount Vernon,” Mount Vernon Mayor Peter Donovan said. “We are so grateful for WSDOT’s openness to pursuing this expedited path forward. Wrapping up the project before the holiday business season could be the difference in those businesses’ survival.”
Full SR 536 closure
Beginning as early as Nov. 1, SR 536 will close to all eastbound and westbound passenger and freight traffic around the clock until work finishes and the historic two-lane bridge is restored to its original alignment. Eastbound vehicles will continue to detour using northbound Avon Allen Road, eastbound SR 20 and southbound Interstate 5 until the bridge reopens. During the full closure, westbound SR 536 traffic should use the same detour route in reverse order.
Emergency responders still will be able to use the bridge in both directions throughout the closure. Emergency vehicles are equipped with traffic signal prioritization switches. In an emergency, these switches signal temporary traffic signals positioned at both ends of the bridge, allowing emergency responders to safely pass.
Access across the river will be maintained for pedestrians, bicyclists and people using mobility devices during the closure. When work requires closing the bridge sidewalk, an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant shuttle will be available to transport people across the river.
During the full closure, contractor crews will complete painting and repairs on the western span of the bridge to preserve the bridge’s service life, make bridge deck repairs to create a smoother ride across the bridge, and remove tarps and rigging. Though that work is expected to finish in about two weeks, heavy rain or unexpected resource issues could lengthen the full closure.
Though no long-term lane closures are expected after the bridge reopens, contractor crews may continue to work through end of the year to finish remaining work and remove equipment from the area.
Change in strategy
The SR 536 Skagit River/Division Street Bridge has been closed to eastbound SR 536 traffic since June 11 while contractor crews performed important preservation work on the larger, eastern span. Crews blasted paint and debris from the structure, repaired and replaced steel pieces of the bridge and sprayed new coats of paint. With work on the eastern span nearing completion, crews began removing containment tarps that covered the bridge and protected the Skagit River on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Crews will soon begin rigging the containment system on the smaller, western span. That switch provides a unique opportunity for crews to change strategy and complete the remaining work more efficiently using a shorter, full closure of the bridge.
The bridge will remain in its current configuration and closed to eastbound SR 536 traffic through the start of the full closure in early November. This will give crews time to complete work on the eastern span, rig the containment system on the western span and begin preservation work that can be done with a single lane open to traffic. Starting the full closure early will not shorten the length of time needed to complete the project and restore full access to the bridge.
Preserving a historic bridge
The SR 536 Skagit River/Division Street Bridge was last painted in 1990. During this project, crews are removing old paint, debris and rust. They also are carefully inspecting the bridge and replacing or repairing parts that have heavy corrosion. They then apply primer layers and a fresh coat of protective light gray paint.
The bridge was built in 1953 and opened to traffic in 1954. It was added to the Department of Archaeology and History Preservation’s Historic Property Inventory list in 2011. The Skagit River/Division Street Bridge is one of six remaining movable bridges in the state highway system. It was originally designed to swing open for boat traffic. The bridge has been in its current fixed state since 1967, but U.S. Coast Guard regulations require WSDOT to maintain the bridge’s ability to open.
About 18,000 vehicles per day traveled over the 675-foot long, 28-foot-wide bridge in 2024, with traffic almost evenly divided between eastbound and westbound.
Real-time travel information is available via the WSDOT mobile app, the WSDOT travel map or by signing up for WSDOT's email updates.
Hyperlinks within the release:
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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real-time traffic information is available at wsdot.com/traffic.
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