Date:  Thursday, September 03, 2009

Contact: Jeff Adamson, North Central Region Communications Manager, Wenatchee, (509) 667-2815, (509) 669-8778 Cell. E-mail: adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov

WENATCHEE – The US 97 Columbia River Bridge at Beebe could remain closed to vehicles and pedestrians for several more weeks between Chelan and Douglas Counties at Chelan Falls following a fatal semi-truck collision Monday, Aug. 31. The collision severely damaged steel trusses and beams that support the bridge.

Pictures of the collision and bridge damage can be seen on the WSDOT Flickr site.

A portion of the bridge deck is noticeably sagging at the location where the truck damaged the bridge rail and steel trusses. No heavy equipment or vehicles can be allowed on the bridge deck for the initial stabilization work due to the extent of the damage. This weight restriction means that WSDOT bridge crews from Wenatchee, Yakima and Olympia must do the stabilization by hand. That work is expected to take three to four days and our crews and engineers will continue working through the holiday weekend.

Once stabilization is complete, bridge engineers will be able to use a lift truck to examine overhead trusses and beams, complete a permanent repair plan, determine a budget and timetable, and order or fabricate parts to repair the bridge.

Pedestrian access to the bridge may be possible after Labor Day. Vehicle access won’t be allowed until the permanent repairs are complete, which could take from several days to weeks.

The US 97 “Columbia River Bridge at Beebe” averages nearly 5,000 vehicles per day. During the closure, traffic is detoured onto US 97A through Chelan and along the west side of the Columbia River to Wenatchee. The detour doubles the amount of traffic on this route and could lead to delays, especially during Labor Day weekend.

The detour typically adds about 10 minutes to a commute between Chelan and Wenatchee. The detour adds up to an hour to commuters bound for Chelan from Orondo, Waterville and Mansfield. Electronic message signs are in place in Wenatchee at US 97A, East Wenatchee at US 2/97, Orondo at US 2, Hugo at US 97A and Chelan at SR 150 to help direct drivers around the bridge closure. Information is also available on the Wenatchee Highway Advisory Radio (1610 AM), the WSDOT traffic and roads web site and by calling 5-1-1.

The Beebe Bridge is named for the Beebe Orchard Company that built the first bridge over the Columbia at Chelan Falls to carry irrigation water to their properties on the east (Douglas County) side of the river in 1919. It also incorporated a wooden deck for automobiles, which had to pay a toll to cross. In 1959, WSDOT began construction of the current bridge, which was opened in June of 1963 for a cost $1.1 million, (likely less than the cost of the current repairs.)

The bridge is 1,040 feet long. Its deck is 26 feet wide and supports two lanes of traffic, flanked by two 3-foot sidewalks. It is one of three “Continuous-steel through-truss tied-arch” bridges in the state. The “Blue Bridge” over the Columbia in the Tri-Cities is another and the third is over the Snake River. The Beebe Bridge was seismically retrofitted in 2000 and was considered to be in very good condition following its last structural safety inspection in 2007.

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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, including pictures, videos, news and blogs go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news. Get real time weather, traffic, construction alerts, pass conditions, ferry, railroad, and airline information at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or dial 5-1-1. TTY users - call 1-800-833-6388. This news release is available electronically on the web at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/NorthCentral/news/

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