This Tacoma bridge closed in 2023. What are the plans for reopening it?
The city of Tacoma is targeting reopening the Fishing Wars Memorial Bridge in 2026, three years after federal officials ordered its immediate closure.
The Federal Highway Administration in October 2023 ordered the bridge linking Tacoma to Fife to close after finding too much debris and buildup on the bridge, which hindered the agency’s regular inspection. Tacoma public works director Ramiro Chavez said his department has worked to identify the most efficient approach to cleaning the bridge while securing permits for the project.
“Cleaning the bridge is not an easy task since the work needs to be done over the Puyallup River, and we have to work with the Puyallup Tribe because that’s a sensitive area, both from the environmental point of view as well as from the cultural heritage point of view,” Chavez told The News Tribune on April 21.
The city is simultaneously working on its plan to clear the bridge of debris and buildup while also working on the second phase of a plan to replace a large portion of the bridge, a long-term goal that will cost around $300 million, Chavez said.
He said cleaning the debris and buildup includes encapsulation – a process of wrapping the bridge to prevent debris from falling into the water, since the span runs over the Puyallup River. The department of Public Works is exploring the possibility of encapsulating a portion of the bridge instead of the entire structure, which could save money and time, he said.
The department projected that repairs would cost around $6-$7 million in 2023.
“As soon as we understand how much that is going to cost, hopefully less than the $6 million, then we’ll start looking for ways we can find the money,” Chavez said.
Funding for the project could come from federal, state or local grants, he said. The bridge would have to undergo another inspection after the project is completed before the Federal Highway Administration could recommend the bridge’s reopening.
