TACOMA, Wash. — A major Pierce County bridge is nearing 80 years old, raising questions about its condition and what drivers can expect in the coming years.
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge, built in 1950, remains a critical corridor connecting Tacoma and Gig Harbor.
After decades of use, the structure is beginning to show its age.
Repairs on the bridge have increased over the past several years, and state leaders say more are necessary.
KIRO 7’s Drone 7 recently captured crews performing maintenance work, temporarily shutting down traffic for a short time on Monday afternoon.
“If you don’t take care of things right on a regular basis, then it deteriorates and you can get into a situation where you have to replace it,” said State Rep. Jake Fey, chair of the House Transportation Committee.
That upkeep comes at a significant cost.
“When we asked about what the needs were, they identified over $180 million worth of work,” Fey said.
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), roughly 45,000 drivers use the westbound bridge each day traveling from Tacoma to Gig Harbor.
Fey says some of the most expensive work includes painting the bridge’s trusses and towers, along with repairs to expansion joints.
“The major costs are going to be when you need to paint the trusses and the towers involved. But there is work on the expansion joints,” he said.
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is just one of many aging structures across the state. WSDOT oversees more than 3,400 bridges, with more than half rated in fair or poor condition — and 342 already more than 80 years old.
For nearby resident Kiril Farkov, whose home overlooks the Narrows, safety is the top concern.
“As long as this structure is safe and stable, it only makes sense to not do it right away but when it needs to happen, unless they want to be proactive and do it earlier than later,” Farkov said.
State leaders say the Tacoma Narrows Bridge has been identified as a top priority, but it is just one of many infrastructure challenges facing Washington. From 2023 to 2024, the number of bridges in poor condition increased 7.5% from 213 bridges to 229 bridges.
Fey does not expect tolling to be implemented for westbound drivers to cover current repairs, stating the funding will come from WSDOT’s Preservation and Maintenance Fund.
“I don’t see in terms of fairness to the folks that use that bridge, that we would be talking about raising tolls to pay for the short term,” he said.
The repairs for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge could take two to ten years depending on the project.
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