Date:  Friday, March 13, 2009

Contact: Scott Wilcox, WSDOT Bridge Supervisor, (360) 905-2206 (Vancouver)
Annie Linstrom, WSDOT Communications, (360) 905-2079 (Vancouver)

VANCOUVER – WSDOT’s bridge inspection season kicks into gear next week with five bridges scheduled for inspection in southwest Washington. Motorists traveling through Clark and Lewis counties early next week can expect single lane closures on SR 6, SR 503 and SR 507 as maintenance crews conduct routine inspections on structures along those routes.

Bridge inspections are scheduled between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., beginning Monday, March 16 through Thursday, March 19. Single-lane closures are necessary during these inspections for the safety of work crews and the traveling public. Due to narrower lanes on the SR 503, Lewis River Yale Bridge, motorists will encounter up to 20-minute delays as crews conduct bridge inspection operations.

Most bridges – state and local - are inspected every two years. WSDOT inspected 1,909 state- and local agency-owned bridges in 2008. WSDOT will inspect 2,018 bridges this year, including 59 underwater bridge inspections performed by WSDOT’s bridge inspection dive team. For more information about WSDOT's bridge inspection program, please visit: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Bridge/Reporting/Inspection.htm

Bridge inspection traffic impacts Monday, March 16:
Lewis County
      • SR 6, Chehalis River Adna Bridge (milepost 46.59) – Traffic reduced to a    
        single lane, alternating directions with flaggers.
      • SR 6, South Fork Chehalis River Bridge (milepost 42.62) - Traffic reduced to
        a single lane, alternating directions with flaggers.
      • SR 6, Rock Creek Bridge (milepost 25) - Traffic reduced to a single lane,
        alternating directions with flaggers.

Bridge inspection traffic impacts Tuesday, March 17:
Lewis County 
      • SR 507, Skookumchuck River Bridge (milepost 2.36) – Traffic reduced to a
        single lane, alternating directions with flaggers.

Bridge inspection traffic impacts Wednesday, March 18 and Thursday, March 19:
Clark County
      • SR 503, Lewis River Yale Bridge (milepost 27.84) – Traffic reduced to a
        single lane, alternating directions with flaggers. Motorists can expect up to
        20 minute delays.

Advanced warning signs will be posted during each bridge inspection. Motorists are asked to please pay attention to the warning signs and are also reminded that traffic fines double within work zones when workers are present (RCW 46.61.527).

For weekly updates on this and all other traffic impacts in the region, please visit the WSDOT Southwest Region Weekly Travel Advisory Web page at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/SouthWest/Construction. 

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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 http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/newsfor pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/trafficor by dialing 5-1-1.

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