Date:  Thursday, September 10, 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 remains closed to motor vehicles, but pedestrians have been crossing at the rate of about 200 per day since Tuesday. An Aug. 31 fatal semi-truck collision severely damaged steel trusses and beams that support the bridge, forcing its closure.

“We’ve been hearing from individuals who want the bridge opened at different times,” said Project Engineer Brantley Bain, “but we also have to provide the contractor with the hours needed to do repair work that can’t be done with pedestrians on the bridge.” WSDOT coordinated with the Lake Chelan School District to accommodate some 90 students, the Chelan County PUD has provided parking at their parks on both shores and LINK Transit has provided bus service to the bridge and to downtown Chelan. As a result of the experience of the last few days, the hours the bridge is open to pedestrians hasn’t been changed, but LINK’s schedule has.

Effective Friday, Sept. 11, LINK will begin the “no fare” shuttle service from Chelan Falls Park earlier, at 5:30 a.m. so the bus will be at the bridge when it opens at 6 a.m. At the same time, since no one has utilized bus service after the 6:30 p.m. run in the evenings, that now becomes the last run each day, even though the bridge will remain open to pedestrians and bicyclists until 9 p.m. The weekend schedule for the bridge openings is the same as weekdays (6 to 8:30 a.m., noon to 1 o’clock and 3:30 to 9 p.m.), but the LINK service on Saturday begins two hours later at 7:30 a.m. and ends with the last bus at 6:30 p.m. On Sunday, there will be no bus service. LINK will post a map and schedule for the WSDOT sponsored shuttle throughout the area.

“We’re going to continue to see if we can open the bridge at other hours, but how quickly the repair work progresses will determine that,” said Bain. Motor vehicles, including motorcycles, cannot be allowed on the bridge.

WSDOT’s bridge contractor, KLM Construction continues to stabilize damaged trusses. One of the biggest challenges is replacement of a diagonal member that was severely bent in the crash, which is still carrying half the load of the entire bridge. The contractor has fabricated temporary supports so the damaged member can be replaced. “Once those are in place, they’ll cut the damaged truss and attempt to splice in a new section that they’re making," said Bain. A crane and perhaps barges may have to be brought in to accomplish the permanent repairs. “We’ll keep working seven days a week until it’s done,” said Bain.

Page 2 – Beebe Bridge Closure

WSDOT is also trying to accommodate the 150 bicyclists who would use the route across the Beebe Bridge for the Sept. 26 Dam 2 Dam bike tour, should the bridge still be closed.

Pictures of the collision, structure damage and repair work can be seen on the WSDOT Flickr site: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157622081917117/

The US 97 “Columbia River Bridge at Beebe” averages nearly 5,000 vehicles per day. During the closure, traffic continues to be 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. Over the Labor Day holiday, the increase in traffic was only about 32% and there were no significant delays. Statewide, Labor Day travel was down significantly.

The detour adds about 10 minutes to a commute between Chelan and Wenatchee. The detour, however, adds up to two hours to Chelan commuters from upper Douglas County. New static signs directing drivers around the closure have been fabricated and are being installed now, to take the place of the temporary electronic signs used initially. Information is also available on the Wenatchee Highway Advisory Radio (1610 AM), by calling 5-1-1 and on the WSDOT traffic and roads web site: www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/trafficalerts/default.aspx?refnum=206546&action=2

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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/

Weekdays, a Link Transit bus leaves Chelan Falls Park at:

• *5:30, 6, 6:30, 7, 7:30 and 8 a.m.
• Noon, 12:30 and 1 p.m.
• 3:30, 4, 4:30, 5, 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, service begins 2 hours later at *7:30 a.m.
• Sunday – no service.

Link provides service to Chelan Wal-Mart, then downtown to Hwy. 97A/Woodin Way, then right on Navarre/Gibson St., then left on SR 150 to the Chelan Chamber of Commerce, Chelan High School and back down to the Chelan Falls Park.

*The first bus each morning comes through Chelan and stops at the Chamber of Commerce on the way down to the Chelan Falls Park parking lot. Link Guest Services phone number is 662-1155

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