The deck of the Little Pilchuck Creek bridge west of Granite Falls is cracking and deteriorating. To help preserve the bridge deck until it is repaired later this spring, Snohomish County Public Works has reduced the speed limit to 25 mph.
 
The speed limit is in effect approximately 700 feet east and west of the bridge on Getchell Road. The county has lifted the load restriction previously imposed on the bridge.
 
The bridge deck is deteriorating more quickly due in part to the speed of vehicles traveling across the damaged panels. Lowering the speed limit reduces the amount of force hitting the already-damaged panels and helps slow the rate of deterioration.
 
If the bridge deck continues to deteriorate, Public Works crews may need to consider additional restrictions to keep the bridge open until they can make permanent repairs.
 
When the bridge was rebuilt in 2006, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provided funding for an experimental fiber-reinforced polymer bridge deck that hasn’t performed as expected. The county is designing a new concrete bridge deck to replace the polymer deck and expects to begin construction this spring.
 
Once repairs to the bridge deck are complete, the speed limit will be reposted at 50 mph.
 
For more information and project updates, contact Bronlea Mishler at 425‐388‐6475 or bronlea.mishler@snoco.org; online, go to www.snoco.org and search for “Bridge 453.”

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