The Wynaco Bridge, east of Auburn, will close for five months beginning at 6
a.m. on Monday, April 26. During the closure, the
King County Road Services Division
will be extensively upgrading the bridge.
The bridge crosses Covington Creek, and is located east of Auburn on 168th
Way Southeast at the Auburn-Black Diamond Road. During the closure, the bridge
will undergo a seismic retrofit and it will be repaired to carry heavier,
modern-day loads.
While the bridge is closed, traffic will be detoured to Auburn-Black Diamond
Road and Kent-Black Diamond Road.
The two-lane Wynaco Bridge was built in 1964 for rural traffic, but today
carries more than 1,300 vehicles a day. After 40 years of service, it is due
for an upgrade. The bridge needs structural improvements to help it withstand
earthquakes and to correct problems such as a cracked and degraded deck, narrow
lanes, and deteriorated railings that don’t meet current safety standards. It
is also currently posted with a 15-ton limit because structural deficiencies
make the bridge unsafe for heavier loads.
For more information about the Wynaco Bridge, visit the project
website.
