The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is sharing the next steps to determine the future of the Fairfax Bridge on State Route 165, across the Carbon River.
The 104-year-old bridge closed in April 2025 because of deterioration. It left residents south of the bridge with no way across the Carbon River Canyon.
“We have a temporary bypass route in place for access, but it’s not a long-term solution,” WSDOT shared.
Rebuilding a new one could take upwards of six years. First, WSDOT must complete an environmental review.
It takes six to twelve months to collect this information. WSDOT says the timeline is dependent on securing environmental permits to remove some trees in the canyon area for drilling.
“Our environmental team has identified the location as habitat for Spotted Owl and Marbled Murrelet. There are only certain times of the year we can remove trees to avoid nesting for both species,” WSDOT shared.
The option of keeping SR 165 closed is also being evaluated as an option.
WSDOT allocated $7 million in preservation funding from the 2025-27 biennium Transportation Budget to move these two alternatives from the planning study into design and environmental review.
The loss of this bridge has affected local property owners, outdoor enthusiasts and local communities alike. WSDOT regularly hears from people who miss escaping to the Mowich area of Mount Rainier National Park.
SR 165 Bypass route
The nine-mile bypass route is not open to the general public.
It’s a winding, narrow, gated gravel logging road that WSDOT doesn’t own. The route is owned by five private property owners, as are the gates at either end of the route.
WSDOT negotiated emergency permits and rights of entry with each property owner so people living south of the bridge had a way to get to and from their homes across the Carbon River.
This route was established in late summer 2024 when the bridge was severely weight-restricted.
“We appreciate the willingness of the bypass route’s five property owners to work with us on this issue,” WSDOT said.
They also recently signed an agreement with the Department of Commerce to help cover funding for automatic gates on the bypass route. The gate hardware is being ordered and will be installed in the coming months.
What happened to the bridge?
“We are frequently asked why the bridge didn’t get painted. The short answer is funding,” WSDOT said.
The bridge is competing for available preservation funding with many other aging bridges across the state.
WSDOT maintains 3,481 bridges in its current inventory. 342 WSDOT-owned bridges are 80 years old or older, which exceeds WSDOT’s expected service life of a bridge. Bridges are designed for a 75-year life. Many of them desperately need preservation work.
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