Patton Bridge on SE Green Valley Road over the Green River will be reduced to one lane 24/7 through April 9 (except during full closures, see bridge closure schedule below). Mapped view.
Vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists may use the bridge when one lane is open.
Current bridge closure schedule and times:
- March 17-20: CLOSED Wednesday, March 17 at 6 a.m. through Saturday, March 20 at 5 p.m.
This is the first of two closures needed for concrete pouring and curing. During this closure, crews will pour new concrete supports under the bridge deck. Closing the bridge to all traffic helps prevent vibration on the bridge and allows the concrete to cure properly (the concrete could crack with too much vibration). Mapped view. - March 25-26: CLOSED Thursday, March 25 at 6 a.m. through Friday, March 26 at 6 p.m.
- April 9: CLOSED from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
When the bridge is closed to traffic, all vehicles will follow a posted detour.’
Project location
The project is on SE Green Valley Road located over the Green River, about 1.5 miles southeast of the intersection of SE Auburn-Black Diamond Road and can be reached from State Route 18 by exiting onto SE Auburn Black Diamond Road and traveling east to SE Green Valley Road.
Project overview
The 70-year old Patton Bridge No. 3015 on SE Green Valley Road southeast of Auburn spans the Green River and is one of a handful of roads connecting SR 18 in an easterly direction to SR 169. It serves several residences in the rural, farming area and is the only bridge over the Green River on SE Green Valley Road.
The bridge has been repaired several times in the past 70 years and is due for another round of structural repairs to keep the bridge in good working order. If the 430-foot bridge were to fail, easy access to hundreds of residents, local businesses and farms would be cut off. Alternate routes would add approximately 15- to 20 minutes to a typical trip. More than 2500 vehicles cross this bridge every day.
The King County Road Services Division will install new steel and concrete reinforcements under and inside the bridge. To do this, they might close one lane for construction operations. Toward the end of the project, they will close the entire bridge to all vehicles for up to seven days to pour and cure the new concrete reinforcement.
Why King County is repairing this bridge
Inspections found deteriorating concrete in the support structure at the ends of the center span. There are currently weight limits on this bridge. Weight limits will remain in place when the work is complete.
The above is a traffic alert from King County Road Services. The Auburn Examiner has not independently verified its content.
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