Emergency repairs for Nisqually Cutoff Bridge completed

Thurston County Public Works reported that they had completed the necessary repairs for the 85-year old Nisqually Cutoff Rd SE Bridge (N-1).

During the Thurston County Board of County Commissioner (BOCC) regular meeting yesterday, Thurston County Project Engineer Matt Unzelman shared the construction’s progress. The bridge sits parallel to I-5 and comes off the Martin Way Interchange at Exit 114.

Unzelman shared that repairs are needed since the bridge serves as a critical link in the county’s transportation system. Built in 1936, the bridge is considered as an arterial roadway and carries around 5,000 vehicles a day. In addition, the bridge also serves as a detour route for heavy vehicles due to the weight restrictions on I-5. With this, 10 percent of the bridge’s traffic is made up of heavy vehicles.

The project engineer claimed that they became aware of the problem with the structure when a consultant noticed that the concrete had separated from the reinforcement. He believed that these cracks made the bridge severely compromised. Unzelman said, “We quickly determined that if we’re gonna keep the bridge operating as it was, a repair is needed to be completed.”

Public Works has placed new steel beams to support the bridge. Overall, the repairs cost $125,000 which were funded by the County Road Fund.