103-year-old SR 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge permanently closed

CARBONADO – The Washington State Department of Transportation has permanently closed the State Route 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge to all vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic. The single-lane bridge is located near milepost 11.5, three miles south of Carbonado in Pierce County.

On Monday, April 14, WSDOT closed the bridge as a safety precaution after a recent inspection revealed new deterioration of steel supports across the bridge. Follow-up inspections prompted the agency to permanently close the 103-year-old bridge. 

Photos show the bridge support column is bent in two directions and starting to buckle. 

“It’s very apparent from the visual changes in the columns that the bridge is no longer safe to use,” said Olympic Region Administrator Steve Roark. 

The bridge provided access to Mount Rainier National Park’s Mowich Lake Entrance, Carbon River Ranger Station and other outdoor recreation areas. Due to the closure of the bridge, there is no public access from SR 165 to these areas.

“Closing the bridge was our last option. We fully understand the magnitude of this decision for everyone who relies on this bridge,” Roark added.

A 9-mile emergency access detour is available for first responders and local property owners south of the bridge. The emergency detour route is not open to the public.

Next steps

WSDOT has initiated a planning study to evaluate options to address the bridge condition. Those options include:

• Keep the bridge closed and not replace it, which is referred to as a no build option.
• Bridge replacement in the same vicinity.
• Re-routing SR 165 on a new alignment to the east or west of Carbon River Canyon.

An in-person and online open house will be scheduled after Memorial Day. The open house events will give the public opportunities to provide feedback and input on options being explored. WSDOT will announce those dates through a news release and on the planning study web page once they are confirmed.

There is no funding available to replace the bridge. WSDOT is actively working with the Governor’s office, partnering agencies and the state Legislature on all possible next steps.

Background

The 494-foot-long bridge opened to travelers in 1921. In July 2024, the bridge’s load rating was reduced to 16,000 pounds (8 tons). This was the third restriction imposed on the bridge since 2009. In 2013, commercial vehicles were restricted from crossing the bridge. WSDOT published a blog in July 2024 about the structural challenges the bridge faced brought on by years of deferred preservation due to lack of funding.

Bridge inspections

WSDOT’s bridge inspection program regularly monitors the conditions of all the state’s approximate 3,600 bridges. A bridge is expected to have a service life of 75 years based on current standards. The average age of state-owned vehicle bridges is 51 years.

As of June 2024: 

• WSDOT owned 315 bridges that were 80 years old or older.
• 133 WSDOT-owned bridges are load posted or load restricted.

To get the latest information about road work on state highways in Pierce County, sign up for email updates. Real-time travel information is available on the WSDOT app and statewide travel map.