Date:  Monday, October 27, 2008

Contact: Dustin Terpening, WSDOT Communications - 360-757-5997 (Burlington)
Janice Marlega, Project Engineer - 360-757-5856 (Burlington)

BURLINGTON – More than $1 million is now available to replace a damaged portion of the Chuckanut Drive (SR 11) overpass at the I-5 interchange in Burlington. During construction, I-5 will be closed at night and Chuckanut Drive may be closed for up to two months.

The Federal Highway Administration is providing WSDOT with the money for the repairs. It comes as part of a larger $63 million package to help pay for two years worth of emergencies in Washington State.

WSDOT will close the overpass (at I-5 exit 231) this winter to demolish and rebuild the damaged portion of the bridge which spans northbound I-5. I-5 will have to be closed for several nights during demolition and when the new support beams are lifted into place.

Work is expected to start after January 1, 2009 and finish before the 2009 Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Exact dates will be determined once a contractor is hired later this year.

The Chuckanut Drive overpass was badly damaged in July when a truck towing an excavator hit it. The overpass had to be temporarily closed while bridge engineers inspected it and made temporary repairs. WSDOT is pursuing compensation for the project from the at-fault party.

Scars from the collision are still visible from I-5. The collision knocked chucks of concrete off the overpass and severed strands of rebar inside the concrete beams. Pictures of the damage and the temporary repairs can be seen and downloaded from here - www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157606094350288/.  

The overpass is open to traffic, but with weight restrictions. Heavy trucks and vehicles have been forced to detour around the bridge until permanent repairs are made.

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