Construction has begun on a long-awaited emergency evacuation bridge in Orting, Wash., a project nearly three decades in the making.
The city of Orting announced that work on the pedestrian bridge began in January and is scheduled for completion by March 2026. The bridge, spanning State Route 162 from the Foothills Trail to Rocky Road Northeast, will provide residents with a safer evacuation route in the event of a Mount Rainier eruption.
A lahar (a destructive mudflow of volcanic ash, rock, water and ice that can flow down a volcano's slopes) from the volcano would give residents as little as 40 minutes to flee.
This bridge is one of two planned to aid in evacuation efforts. The second bridge, still in the design phase, will extend over the Carbon River toward Tehaleh. No timeline has been set for its construction.
Orting resident Barbara Bauml has supported the project since first learning about it in 2001, according to a report from The News Tribune. She became a founding member of Bridge for Kids, a nonprofit advocating for the bridges.
“This is a real boon for the kids that live on the other side of the highway,” Bauml said. “It’s a wonderful step forward.”
Mayor Josh Penner said the bridge will not only serve as an evacuation route but also ease congestion in a heavily trafficked area.
“The benefit of this system will be felt every day, not just in a once-in-1,000-years event,” Penner said.
The first bridge’s construction cost approximately $9 million, funded by federal, state and local contributions. The cost of the second bridge remains undetermined as design work continues.
Source: The News Tribune, City of Orting
