Local

Impacts of closing 103-year-old Pierce County bridge near Mount Rainier

Stories by Tacoma News Tribune journalists, with AI summarization

This list of stories illustrates how the closure of the Carbon River Fairfax Bridge cuts off direct access to Mount Rainier National Park from state Route 165. The 103-year-old, single-lane bridge closed after engineers found advanced steel deterioration and a bent support column. Emergency detours are available only for first responders and local residents, isolating popular areas of the park.

Officials are now studying three possible future options: keep the bridge closed, build a new bridge in the same location, or re-route the road entirely.

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

The Carbon River Bridge is 103 years old and 494 feet long. By Courtesy of the Washington State Department of Transportation

NO. 1: THIS 103-YEAR-OLD PIERCE COUNTY BRIDGE IS DETERIORATING. IT HAS A NEW WEIGHT LIMIT

“Without more investment in preservation, we will continue to see more bridges weight listed,” the agency said. | Published August 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Angelica Relente

The Carbon River Bridge is 103 years old and 494 feet long. By Washington State Department of Transportation

NO. 2: PIERCE COUNTY BRIDGE TO MOUNT RAINIER CLOSED INDEFINITELY AFTER DEEMED UNSAFE

103-year-old bridge will be closed to pedestrian and vehicle traffic as a safety precaution. | Published April 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Becca Most

The Fairfax Bridge carries state Route 165 over the Carbon River. By Craig Hill

NO. 3: BRIDGE TO MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK PERMANENTLY CLOSED DUE TO SAFETY RISKS

“Closing the bridge was our last option,” Steve Roark, a WSDOT administrator, said in the release. “We fully understand the magnitude of this decision.” | Published April 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isabela Lund

The Carbon River Fairfax Bridge, which connects State Route 165 to Mount Rainier National Park. The bridge is closing permanently due to safety concerns from the steel deteriorating. The rust is visible underneath the bridge in this photo.

NO. 4: HOW IS THIS PERMANENT BRIDGE CLOSURE GOING TO AFFECT MOUNT RAINIER VISITORS?

The bridge closure isolates key areas of Mount Rainier National Park. A $1.5 million study will determine next steps. | Published April 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isabela Lund

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.