Date:  Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Contact: Bronlea Mishler, WSDOT communications, 360-757-5947

GLACIER – Drivers headed to or from Mount Baker will want to plan ahead for a three-month lane closure that begins Wednesday, July 8, on SR 542 (Mount Baker Highway) near Glacier.

As part of a project to repair and repaint the Nooksack River bridge, crews will restrict traffic to one lane over the bridge for the duration of the work, which is expected to last into October. Crews will install a temporary traffic signal to direct drivers over the bridge. Drivers can expect minor delays.

Drivers may also notice crews shrouding the bridge with industrial-strength shrink-wrap in late July. The protective shrink-wrap allows crews to work regardless of weather conditions and also keeps any debris from falling into the river.

The Nooksack River bridge was built in 1931 and needs to be sanded down, repaired and repainted every few years to help preserve the structure. The bridge was last repainted 19 years ago.

For more information about traffic delays, visit the construction updates page at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Northwest/Baker/Construction/default.htm#542NooksackPainting.

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