TUKWILA, Wash. — Tukwila hopes to partially reopen its Allentown bridge to traffic early this month after receiving recommendations from a group of specialists.
Engineers, consultants and inspectors agreed Monday that the city can reopen one lane of traffic on the 42nd Avenue S Bridge in the Allentown neighborhood without risking a structural collapse.
The city said that the limited traffic will reduce the burden on the structure and extend its life until a replacement bridge is set to be completed in 2025.
The city said a structural engineer recommended it reopen the bridge to southbound traffic, but the staff received input from the Allentown community that the direction of traffic should go north.
“City staff are evaluating and conducting further research to determine the direction of the one-way traffic flow,” Tukwila’s report said.
The city said the bridge would maintain a speed limit of 15 mph for trucks as well as all previous weight restrictions.
The bridge was closed in mid-December after a semi-truck lost its load while crossing it, causing significant structural damage.
The 280-foot bridge, built in 1949, was deemed both structurally deficient and functionally obsolete by the Federal Highway Authority, and Tukwila was in the process of replacing it when the incident occurred.
Initial repairs to the bridge were completed in late January, but the city needed to wait for state engineers and the Federal Highway Administration to review the bridge before it could reopen.
Tukwila has still not released a specific date for reopening the single lane.