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US 2 - Wenatchee River Bridge

Start Summer 2011
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This project replaces the green steel bridge at the top of Tumwater Canyon (MP 90.57-90.62), nine miles west of Leavenworth in Chelan County.

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The new bridge will be wider and won't have an overhead superstructure.
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  The new bridge won't have footings that catch logs and debris like this one does.

Status

Winter 2013

Construction began Aug. 1, 2011 and was shut down for winter on Nov. 30 and resumed in April, 2012.  Work was again shut down for winter on Nov. 30, 2012.
Visit the North Central Region’s Construction Update and Travel Advisory web page.
This project, under the name US 2 – Tumwater Canyon Bridge Replacements, includes two other bridges: The Chiwaukum Creek Bridge, which is located 3/4 of a mile to the west and the Drury Creek Bridge, two miles to the east. The project also includes an Additional Turn Lanes project at the Tumwater Campground.

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For more information on the Wenatchee River Bridge projects Click Here (PDF) 555kb

 

This Catastrophic Reduction Structure Preservation project replaces an old bridge on US 2 at the top of Tumwater Canyon, nine miles west of Leavenworth in Chelan County.

Why is WSDOT replacing the Wenatchee River Bridge in Tumwater Canyon?
The current steel truss/concrete girder structure is functionally obsolete, which means it is too narrow to meet today's design standards for roadway width.  Originally built as a railroad bridge in 1900, it was moved to this location in 1936 and converted to a highway bridge.  The age and structure type doesn't allow for widening and it must be replaced.  The small Drury Canyon Creek Bridge, about 2 miles east on US 2, will also be replaced as part of this project. 

The End Result
The current proposal for the new structure includes two 12-foot lanes with an eight foot westbound shoulder and ten foot eastbound shoulder. The current bridge has two 12-foot lanes and no shoulders.  The new structure will also span a greater distance across the Wenatchee River with fewer footings, improving river flow and reducing the need to clear debris (logs jams, etc.) from the bridge after high water events.

Project Benefits

  • Provides wide shoulders on the bridge deck so vehicles can pull over. 
  • Oversize loads will be better accommodated with a wider bridge and elimination of an overhead superstructure. 
  • Provides an eight foot westbound shoulder and ten foot eastbound shoulders better accommodating bicycles and pedestrians.
  • The new bridge will allow for less debris accumulation by increasing the span length across the river.  
  • A new concrete girder structure also eliminates the need to regularly repaint the bridge.

What is the project timeline?
Construction started August 1, 2011 and will take two construction seasons (275 working days) to complete in Sept. 2013.

Financial Information

Project signage will reflect the cost of construction engineering, project bid award and sales tax.

Financial Data for PIN 200201K
Funding Source Amount ($ in thousands)
2003 Gas Tax (Nickel Funding) $0
2005 Gas Tax (TPA) $616
Pre-Existing Funds (PEF) $6,066
Total $6,682

This project, under the name US 2 – Tumwater Canyon Bridge Replacements, includes two other bridges at Chiwaukum Creek  and Drury Creek, as well as new turn lanes into Tumwater Campground.

The combined project was advertised for private contractor bids April 18, 2011. 9 qualified bids were opened on May 19. Contract #8139 was awarded to Selland Construction, Inc. of Wenatchee for $8,485,707.28 on June 24, four percent under the engineering estimate.

How can I get more information?
Contact:
Bob Romine, Project Engineer
WSDOT North Central Region
P.O. Box 98
Wenatchee, WA 98807
Phone:  (509) 667-2880 or toll free (888) 461-8816
Email: rominer@wsdot.wa.gov

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