Update: Interlaaken Bridge repairs planned

After reviewing five options to repair the damaged Interlaaken Bridge at its regular meeting June 3, 2024, the Lakewood City Council directed the Public Works Engineering Department to move forward with repairs that will have the bridge back open by this September.

The options reviewed ranged in estimated project costs from $467,000 to $2.8 million.

The City Council authorized the option that will replace decaying pieces and those that were identified as potentially entering a compromised state within the next five to 10 years.

Total cost is estimated at $830,000.

The project will replace 17 caps and 19 “stringers” which were identified as being in a status of “decay” based on a recent inspection of the bridge.

The next step is to request bids, hopefully no later than June 7, 2024.

Work cannot begin on the bridge until the fish window opens July 1. The fish window is the only period when the work can be done, per environmental regulations. The goal is to complete the bridge repair work this summer with the bridge reopening to traffic by September.

The City of Lakewood closed the Interlaaken Bridge to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic in mid-May 2024 for public safety purposes. The closure came after a follow-up inspection 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.

The bridge is inspected on a routine basis every two years. The most recent inspection occurred in 2023. At the time the inspection identified deterioration of some of the structure. This prompted a follow-up inspection six months later. Before closing the bridge to all traffic, the city limited the total vehicle weight allowed over the bridge to reduce overall impact to the structure.

The decision to close the bridge permanently was made from an abundance of caution for public safety. It will remain closed until it is safe for vehicles and pedestrians to use it.

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.

Want to learn more? A comprehensive analysis of the bridge decay, a timeline of repairs and the full range of options the City Council considered are available in this June 3, 2024 presentation to the Lakewood City Council.