Bridges - 80 years or older

FY2023

Amount of deck on WSDOT-owned bridges 80 years old or older up 55.2% since June 2019

As of June 2023, 315 of WSDOT's 3,384 bridges were 80 years old or older, accounting for 9.3% of all state-owned bridges. These older bridges comprised approximately 3.41 million square feet of deck area, marking a decrease of 1.2% over the 3.45 million square feet of deck area reported in June 2022.

This minor change to bridges of this age and older is because 80 years ago (1943) United States was involved in World War II. Most states were not building bridges for the next several years during the war.

Bridges 80 years old or older made up 6.0% of the total 56.6 million square feet of deck area on WSDOT-owned bridges as of June 2023. Between June 2022 and June 2023, the total number of WSDOT-owned bridges 80 years old or older increased by one bridge (0.3%).

Over the five-year period from June 2019 through June 2023, the number of WSDOT-owned bridges 80 years old or older increased by 12.5%, going from 280 bridges in June 2019 to 315 bridges in June 2023. During this time, the bridge deck area involved has increased 55.2% from approximately 2.20 million square feet in June 2019 to 3.41 million in June 2023.

As its infrastructure assets continue to age, WSDOT forecasts a future of difficult asset management decisions, each with an associated tradeoff. For example, funding construction of a new section of highway may mean delaying needed bridge deck rehabilitation elsewhere. Such delays can be costly; if a bridge deck deteriorates to the point where replacement is the only option, the cost of restoring it to good condition may triple.

FY2022

WSDOT-owned bridge deck area that is 80 years old or older increases 1.7% between June 2021 and June 2022

As of June 2022, 314 of WSDOT's 3,375 bridges were 80 years old or older. These older bridges comprised approximately 3.45 million square feet of deck area, marking an increase of 1.7% over the 3.39 million square feet of deck area reported in June 2021. This minor change to bridges of this age and older is due to the fact that 80 years ago (1942) United States was involved in World War II. During the war, most states were not building bridges for the next several years.

Bridges 80 years old or older made up 6.1% of the 56.2 million square feet of deck area on WSDOT-owned bridges as of June 2022. Between June 2021 and June 2022, the number of WSDOT-owned bridges 80 years old or older increased by 12 bridges (4.0%). Over the five-year period June 2018 through June 2022, the number of WSDOT-owned bridges 80 years old or older increased by 18.0%, going from 266 bridges in June 2018 to 314 bridges in June 2022.

As its infrastructure assets continue to age, WSDOT forecasts a future of difficult asset management decisions, each with an associated tradeoff. For example, funding construction of a new section of highway may mean delaying needed concrete bridge deck rehabilitation elsewhere. Such delays can be costly; if a bridge deck deteriorates to the point where replacement is the only option, the cost of restoring it to good condition may triple.

FY2021

WSDOT owned bridge deck area that is 80 years old or older increases 36% between June 2020 to June 2021

As of June 2021, 302 of WSDOT's 3,365 bridges were 80 years old or older. These older bridges comprised approximately 3.4 million square feet of deck area, marking an increase of 36% over the 2.5 million square feet of deck area reported in June 2020. This large upswing was due to the addition of the I-90 Lacey V. Murrow bridge, which added 500,000 square feet of deck area as well as the Hood River Bridge and Columbia River Bridge which added 246,000 square feet of deck area. The latter two are border bridges and were not included in previous Gray Notebooks.

Bridges 80 years old or older made up 6.0% of the total 56.1 million square feet of deck area on WSDOT-owned bridge as of June 2021.

Between June 2020 and June 2021, the number of WSDOT-owned bridges 80 years old or older increased by 10 bridges (3.4%). Over the five-year period June 2017 through June 2021, the number of WSDOT-owned bridges 80 years old or older increased by 22.8%, going from 246 bridges in June 2017 to 302 bridges in June 2021.

As its infrastructure assets continue to age, WSDOT forecasts a future of difficult asset management decisions, each with an associated tradeoff. For example, funding construction of a new section of highway may mean delaying needed concrete bridge deck rehabilitation elsewhere. Such delays can be costly; if a bridge deck deteriorates to the point where replacement is the only option, the cost of restoring it to good condition may triple.

WSDOT adds Lacey V. Murrow bridge to tally of bridges 80 years or older

For the year ending June 2021, WSDOT is adding the Interstate 90 Lacey V. Murrow bridge to its counts of bridges that are 80 years old or older. Much of the bridges (there are two included in the structure, but they are counted as a single bridge) were replaced in early 1990s—including all of the floating pontoons—but some of the original 1940 structure was retained (primarily approach structures on the west and east ends of the bridge).

Because the entire structure was not replaced, the year built remains 1940, but (due to the replacement work) was not counted in the last Gray Notebook. This 81-year-old bridge and its approaches account for more than 500,000 square feet of deck area added to the 80 years old or older category.

FY2020

WSDOT owns 292 bridges over 80 years old, expects a future of difficult tradeoffs

As of June 2020, 292 of WSDOT's 3,342 bridges were 80 years old or older. These bridges had over 2.5 million square feet of deck area—approximately 4.5% of the total 56.5 million square feet of deck area on WSDOT-owned bridges. Of the 292 bridges over 80 years old, 79 (with 1.3 million square feet of deck area) were located on strategic freight corridors.

Between June 2019 and June 2020, the number of WSDOT-owned bridges over 80 years old increased by 12 bridges (4.3%) and approximately 300,000 square feet of deck area (13.65%). Over the five-year period June 2016 through June 2020, the number of WSDOT-owned bridges over 80 years old increased by 30.9%, going from 223 bridges in June 2016 to 292 bridges in June 2020.

As its infrastructure assets continue to age, WSDOT forecasts a future of difficult asset management decisions, each with an associated tradeoff. delaying needed concrete bridge deck rehabilitation elsewhere. Such delays can be costly; if a bridge deck deteriorates to the point where replacement is the only option, the cost of restoring it to good condition may triple.

FY2019

WSDOT owns 280 bridges over 80 years old, expects a future of difficult tradeoffs

As of June 2019, WSDOT owned 280 bridges that were 80 years old or older, including the SR 162 Spiketon Creek Bridge (see below). This is a 6% of the agency's 3,932 bridge structures.

As its infrastructure assets continue to age, WSDOT forecasts a future of difficult asset management decisions, each with an associated tradeoff. For rehabilitating a concrete bridge deck until years after it comes due, if at all. If the deck deteriorates to the point of requiring replacement before it can be rehabilitated, then the cost of delaying rehabilitation becomes much higher. Rehabilitating decks with concrete overlay costs about $100 per square foot, while replacing the deck entirely costs $300 per square foot.

Within bridge preservation, WSDOT is faced with the challenge of balancing needs ranging from steel bridge painting to scour repair. As of June 2019, the agency's unmet bridge preservation needs were concentrated in three areas: bridge replacement and rehabilitation, concrete bridge deck repair, and steel bridge painting.

Spiketon Creek Bridge

WSDOT closed the SR 162 Spiketon Creek Bridge in Pierce County in 2018 because its condition had deteriorated to a point where the bridge was Creek Bridge, which was 82 years old when it was closed, is currently WSDOT's only closed bridge. However, such closures may become more common as more bridges become past due for replacement.

As of August 2019, the SR 162 Spiketon Creek Bridge was under contract to be replaced with a temporary bridge.