Repainting the blue bridge was going to snarl Tri-Cities traffic. So what gives?
Traffic flowed smoothly across the Tri-Cities’ Pioneer Memorial Bridge, aka the blue bridge, in January.
That’s been pleasant for drivers, but it has been unexpected.
A $33.5 million paint job was supposed to force slowdowns, close lanes and generally send local drivers to other bridges last month.
So what gives?
The year-long project will still happen, but the start date was pushed back about two months, said Scott Klepach, spokesman for the Washington Department of Transportation.
Klepach said work couldn’t start until the contractor completed an acceptable containment plan to protect workers and the environment.
So the slowdowns are, well, slowed down, but not for long.
Tri-City drivers could see project-related disruptions on the blue bridge as soon as Feb. 12, though the date is unconfirmed.
Klepach said there could be early signs of activity in the coming weeks as workers put up construction signs on the side of Highway 395 on either side of the river. Lane closures could begin by the end of the month.
“Hurry up and wait,’ he said.
Blue means blue
The four-lane bridge carries Highway 395 across the Columbia River, linking Pasco and Kennewick.
About 66,000 vehicles a day use the bridge, which was built in the 1950s and is a key route between central Oregon to northern destinations such as Spokane.
Southern Road and Bridge, a Florida bridge contractor, is the contractor.
Once it is able to begin, traffic control measures will begin and workers will set out to blast the old paint off the metal surfaces.
Any damage will be repaired. Then, the bridge will get five coats of the same Air Force Blue paint that gives the bridge its nickname. The work will take about a year.
All other aspects of the undertaking are unchanged.
Motorists can expect a 45-mph speed limit and expensive fines if they speed or drive recklessly on the 2,500-foot span.
The project is funded by the Federal Highway Administration’s National Highway Performance Program. It is DOT’s largest project in the Tri-Cities this year.
Drivers are advised to consider using alternative routes such as I-182 between Richland and Pasco and the Highway 397/cable bridge between Kennewick and Pasco.
Go tobit.ly/48dYtgn for more information on the painting project.
This story was originally published February 6, 2024 at 12:35 PM.