June 14, 2024
Joe Leary Slough Bridge Reopened
The Bayview Edison Road bridge spanning Joe Leary Slough has been reopened after repairs and maintenance were completed. The bridge was constructed in 1955, and in 2021, bridge inspections found the deck was experiencing advanced deterioration and was in need of urgent repair. Skagit County staff applied through a competitive grant process and was awarded $487,400 from the Federal Local Bridge Program to repair the bridge deck, as well as reconstruct the roadway approach retaining walls and the existing drainage system.
The bridge deck was rehabilitated with Polyester Polymer Concrete (PPC), a material new to Skagit County bridges. This material has a current lifespan of 45 years, which is as long as the material has been in production and constitutes the length of time the manufacturer currently guarantees the project to be without failure. The curing time for PCC to reach full structural strength is hours rather than the days and weeks required by other products, which allowed the County to reopen the bridge to vehicle traffic within a much shorter time period. The road drainage system was reconstructed to include two new catch basins and added curbing so previous shoulder erosion issues caused by stormwater runoff would no longer be a future maintenance headache.
Thanks to the efficiency and hard work of the contractor, Combined Construction Inc., work was completed within 16 working days, 4 days short of the time allotted by contract for its construction. Skagit County looks forward to more opportunities to use PPC for bridge deck repairs to lengthen the life of our bridges, saving maintenance costs overall and reducing road closure times.
If you would like to learn more about the bridge rehabilitation project, the Skagit County Commissioners will be hosting a presentation with Public Works staff on Tuesday, July 9th, 2024, at 8:45 a.m. in the Commissioners Hearing Room at 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon. The presentation will also be available to watch on TV21 or via Zoom at the link on the Commissioner’s webpage below.
https://www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/CountyCommissioners/main.htm
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