Last Thursday, the Hood River Bridge was damaged by a semi-truck crash that caused "severe damage" and affected some of the structural beam's on the bridge. Now, it is reopened to traffic.
The bridge reopened on Sunday at 1 p.m. for all vehicular traffic except for semi-trucks, any "hauling" cars, and any truck over 14 feet and seven inches.
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the bridge was closed until Sunday. Drivers had to detour to either Cascade Locks or The Dalles.
According to the Port of Hood River, it received a report and recommendations from HDR Engineering on Sunday morning. Officials discussed the potential of the bridge reopening, including a schedule for repairs.
Kevin Greenwood, with the Port of Hood River, said they received a report around 10:15 a.m. Thursday that a semi-truck with a flatbed trailer carrying an excavator had crossed the bridge with the excavator's arm not properly lowered. "And so, the elbow basically cut through portions of six different lateral braces above the traveling," he said.
The century-old bridge is the only river crossing for 20 miles in either direction, but it's extremely narrow by modern standards; Greenwood told KGW last year that the two lanes are so narrow that there have been previous incidents in which passing trucks have locked up mid-span, wedged together between the guardrails on either side.
A $520 million replacement project for the Hood River Bridge is in the works, with construction planned to start in early 2026 and the new bridge set to open in 2029.
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Source: KGW-TV Portland, OregonLive.com
