The Interlaaken Bridge is closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The closure will remain in place indefinitely.
The full closure is the result of further analysis by a contracted structural engineering firm that identified a high rate of deterioration among wood beams that comprise the bridge structure. The city previously replaced some of the beams during past bridge maintenance and inspects the bridge on a routine basis.
Inspections of the bridge were conducted in 2019, 2021 and 2023, which is the standard inspection schedule. Photos from those inspections were evaluated recently by the engineering firm to determine the rate of deterioration of the beams. An inspection done this week discovered the rate of deterioration among three pile caps has progressed quickly from the last inspection. These pile caps are now unsafe to handle the load capacity of the bridge.
This morning city engineers met with the Pierce County Engineer’s Office and consultants to review the latest inspection analysis. The result of that meeting is the recommendation to close the bridge to all traffic. The bridge will remain closed while the city reviews its options for how to proceed.
Engineers are also assessing which crossings under the bridge can remain open to water traffic. It is anticipated that a number of these passages under the bridge will be closed for safety reasons.
Earlier this week the city reduced traffic to one lane, to limit the weight on the bridge. This restriction followed a previous weight limit restriction placed on the bridge earlier this year in response to the compromised beams. Despite the weight limit reduction, some vehicles over the allowed weight were still crossing the bridge. The decision to close the bridge permanently was made from an abundance of caution for public safety.
The public is asked to please obey all posted closure signs. Pedestrian traffic is not permitted. People found on the bridge are subject to enforcement action by police.
The City of Lakewood has terrible planning decisions.
Hipkins Rd SW has been closed for an indefinite amount of time already.
Now the Interlaken Bridge is closed, probably for good.
The City continues to allow permits for construction and new dwellings to he built.
That increases congedtion, pollution, traffic, and population. Oh yay. Let’s close avenues of travel to make more stress and increase congestion. And lower all the speed limits so that the long line of Follow the Idiot goes as slow as possible. Be sure to add sidewalks, not multiple traffic lanes, and be sure that thebonly choice of travel is used by everyone.
Why do they force residentd to drive where they want them to? Why don’t they re-open 108th & Gravelly Lake Rd SW? Why are we forced to drive in mindless single file traffic lanes?
I do not appreciate these decisions and it really ruins the atmosphere in our neighborhoods.
Especially at this time of year. Last time it was hot summer, and the sewer repair emergency. Now this.
Yes, come to visit the City of Lakewood. There is only one road of travel allowed and nothing is convenient. Very poor planning and management. I wouldnt tell anyone to come here, its embsrrassing.
I agree with you on this Kar. Maybe they should have worked on the bridge instead of making all those wonderful traffic circles around Lakewood. Maybe they should forget about that park with extra parking on Edgewater and finish Hipkins and fix the bridge!!!
They should just closevt the hridge forever and turn it into a park, for fishing, abd viewing Mt Rainier.
Add benches, and kids could feed the ducks and pigeons.
It would be a quiet, calming place.
As long as peopIe had respect and did not litter or throw items into the lake..
Add a cage protector like on Salters Point bridge, to deter littering or jumping.
And where is everyone going to park their cars to walk down to this ( Park ) over the bridge ???
Yeah, good point. They would ruin it with paving a parking lot, sorry I forgot .
But I agree with you about the Edgewater project.
They should fix this bridge Emergency now!
The bridge should be removed. It messes up the Lake it is a hazard and it creates a lot of traffic and traffic hazard through otherwise nice neighborhoods. This should have been done long ago.
I agree Jonn. I think the best thing for Lakewood and for an overall cost savings perspective is to remove it and dead end those streets.