New state Route 16 bridge opens near Gig Harbor. The speed limit has been updated
The temporary lanes are gone and the speed limit is back to 60 for drivers from Port Orchard to Gig Harbor.
Crews opened the new eastbound state Route 16 bridge in Purdy to traffic May 11, the Washington State Department of Transportation said in a news release.
“The 206-foot-long bridge replaces an old culvert under the highway that blocks fish passage in Purdy Creek,” the release said.
WSDOT opened the new westbound SR 16 bridge in August.
“This summer, crews will rebuild the creek bed under the highway,” the release said. “The work will allow fish at all stages of life access to spawning and rearing habitat. Crews expect to wrap up final work by late fall.”
The cost for the project, including work on state Route 16 and state Route 302, is about $40 million.
Next up, crews will pave the southbound lanes of the new bridge on the state Route 302 Spur between Purdy Lane and 144th Street. That will happen in the next couple months.
“When this work is complete, a new shared-use path will open on the bridge for people who walk or roll,” the release said.
They finished the northbound lanes in April.
The 77-foot-long SR 302 bridge replaces another culvert that is a barrier for fish.
This story was originally published May 16, 2024 at 10:00 AM.
