Fox Island residents call for more than just studies on failing bridge. ‘We want action’
An island that’s home to less than 4,000 south of Gig Harbor has some residents who are frustrated that no funds have been allocated to replace a bridge known to be failing since 2013.
Fox Island’s single bridge connecting into Gig Harbor could cost millions to repair or replace, and some feel like the county needs to do more.
The Fox Island bridge has been given a 7.6 out of 100 rating by the National Bridge Inventory, ranking one of the most structurally deficient bridges in the state.
A group of residents has started holding community meetings about the safety of the bridge. Patricia Peterson, a Fox Island resident for more than 35 years, is a part of a community effort to upgrade the only road off the island.
While they haven’t named the group, four of those spearheading the conversation call themselves the “Core Team.” They have held meetings across the island in the community center, coffee shops and at community meetings to inform residents of the potential dangers of their bridge.
“Most people were so respectfully concerned,” Peterson said.
In the coming weeks, they are looking to hold larger meetings and hope to hold a whole island meeting in the spring. They want to have a unified front when confronting the county for action.
Pierce County Chair Derek Young (D-Gig Harbor) said he understands the concerns, but wants more studies done before jumping into designs and funding plans.
“The structural issues that were observed are not so dangerous that we are concerned about immediate safety,” Young said. “It’s tough for people to look at that and not panic, I completely understand why they would be frustrated. But we need to be realistic about how much the county can afford.”
Peterson and other Fox Island residents are tired of studies after years of acknowledging the bridge’s safety concerns.
“We want action,” she said.
Peterson worries about large accidents and natural disasters on the two-lane bridge. She doesn’t believe the bridge would hold if a work truck hit the side railing or if the Cascadia fault ruptured.
“We aren’t panicked, but if we don’t do something now, we will be when repairs are seriously needed,” Peterson said.
Fox Island’s sole road on or off the island sees more than 6,000 trips daily, a county video said. Built more than 65 years ago, the nearly 2,000 foot bridge has not seen substantial repairs.
The island is part of unincorporated Pierce County, leaving the county council responsible for the upkeep of the bridge. The bridge is the longest in Pierce County’s inventory.
Pierce County has been aware of concerns about the bridge’s safety for years. Pierce County declared the Fox Island Bridge to be structurally deficient in 2013 in line with national standards.
In 2016, the county’s TV station reported that the bridge either needed to be replaced or repaired.
The most recent underwater inspection was completed in October 2021 and concluded there are no immediate repairs recommended, but future repairs are recommended due to the deterioration of the concrete bridge’s footings.
‘Most expensive project anywhere in Pierce County’
The Council held a meeting on Oct. 25 to discuss the 2022-2027 Transportation Improvement Program. The six-year plan estimates 70 projects in need of funding for a total of $213.3 million with some projects too early in development to have price tags like the Fox Island bridge, according to county documents.
The county hired a consultant, InfraStrategies LLC, who published a report in 2019 estimating the costs of the county’s three options: do nothing but repairs, do large scale repairs, or replace the bridge. The report cost Pierce County $110,267, according to spokesperson Anne Radford.
Beyond biennial inspections and a consultant report published in 2019, the county has not allocated dollars for repairs or replacement for the concrete bridge since 2013.
Fox Island bridge improvements could cost between $127 million and $242 million. The consultant determined that in the long run, repairs would cost more than a new structure. Simply repairing the bridge’s posts over the next 15 years would cost $242 million, while a completely new bridge would cost $127 million.
“In terms of cost per mile, this will be by far the most expensive project anywhere in Pierce County forever,” Young said.
Peterson disagrees on the price, because she said not enough work has been done to make accurate estimates. In 2016, the county held an open house with residents. Of those who filled out the survey, 70 percent wanted a new bridge replacement.
Young said that repairs or replacements will come from mixed-revenue that includes grants, county funding and potentially tolls or a property tax hike.
The consultant’s report offered several options, including a $353 average annual increase for Fox Island property owners, given that the average island home value is $750,000, and a toll of $4.50 each direction until 2056.
While Peterson understands, she said Fox Island residents find it unfair that projects in East Pierce County like the Canyon Road improvements are paid for through Pierce County taxes.
“We are county residents,” Peterson said. “We pay taxes for Canyon Road. Why can’t they pay taxes for us?”
Peterson, who is also a member of the Gig Harbor Peninsula Land Use Advisory Commission, feels that the bridge should be more of a priority if the county continues to issue building permits.
Since 2000, the island’s population has jumped from 2,800 to 3,900, according to U.S. Census data.
The coronavirus pandemic has muddled Young’s efforts to hold a community meeting on the issue. He also believes that the cost can be whittled down through further analysis. This is his last year on the county council before Young is term limited.
“My hope before I left was to leave my successor with a plan that they would go try to build. I don’t think we’re gonna get there,” he said. “It’s partly because our costs remain extraordinarily high and also because of the delays caused by COVID.”
Peterson warns that the Fox Island community is going to make this a sticking point for the upcoming election.
“We are going to be vocal,” she said.
Patricia Peterson is of no relation to the reporter.
