New system aims to stop over-height trucks at Pierce Co. bridge after closure
The Washington State Department of Transportation is adding a new over-height detection system to the White River Bridge, making it harder for over-height vehicles to get through.
According to a news release from the city of Buckley, crews will start installing the new system on Monday, July 13, with work occurring from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday “for several weeks.”
The new over-height detection system is expected to be “fully operational” by the end of July, the release said.
“Both directions of SR 410 are expected to remain open during construction, although drivers should expect shifted lanes, narrowed shoulders, and crews and equipment working near the roadway,” the release said.
The News Tribune reached out to WSDOT to ask how much the project would cost.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have a number for you today but I am working with the team to obtain an estimate,” RB McKeon said in an email to The News Tribune on Friday.
WSDOT’s choice to add a detection system stems from a crash at the White River Bridge — which connects Buckley to Enumclaw via State Route 410 — on Aug. 18, 2025. The 27-year-old driver of a truck owned by Puget Construction Services in Buckley had his water tank up in the air and forgot to put it down as he approached the bridge, striking it, The News Tribune previously reported. The driver was later cited for operating a vehicle over the legal height.
Gov. Bob Ferguson declared the closure an emergency on Aug. 27, highlighting the devastating impacts it had for commuters and local businesses. The closure lasted almost two months before reopening on Oct. 17, 2025.
