Tri-Cities Blue & Cable Bridges Jammed with Single Lane Closures

Did you realize that both main Tri-Cities bridges have single-lane closures this week?

WSDOT

Tri-Cities Blue Bridge & Cable Bridge Lane Closures This Week

We are all used to the Blue Bridge construction and slowdowns that have been happening for the last couple of months. Some drivers have been going over the Cable Bridge instead, but for most of this week that strategy will not be the best idea. The Washington State Department of Transportation is currently in the middle of maintenance that started on Monday according to their latest update. The Cable Bridge (Ed Hendler) will be restricted to single lanes in each direction from Monday, May 13 until this Thursday, May 16th. Expect the slowdowns to impact traffic from 7 am to 4 pm daily.

"Maintenance SR 397 Both Directions
Description: Both directions milepost 18 over the Ed Hendler (Cable) Bridge between Kennewick and Pasco. Monday, May 13 through Thursday, May 16 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, there will be single-lane closures for routine bridge inspection.
Last updated: 05/13/2024 05:21 AM"

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Blue Bridge Construction Updates

WSDOT says in their latest update to expect single-lane closures and speed reductions southbound across the Blue Bridge (Pioneer Memorial Bridge) until Saturday, May 18, 2024. WSDOT crews have already started gathering equipment on the northbound side, and I am guessing they are likely to switch to the north direction shortly after Sunday, May 19, 2024. Crews have been mostly working on the southbound traffic for a while and with the update being released yesterday I think the switch to northbound is more than likely. Keep yourself updated at wsdot.wa.gov.

"US 395 Southbound
Description: Southbound milepost 19 over the Pioneer Memorial Bridge (Blue Bridge) between Pasco and Kennewick. Monday, May 13 through Saturday, May 18 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, there will be a single-lane closure with a speed reduction for bridge painting. Travelers are encouraged to use I-182 or US-397 as alternate routes.
Last updated: 05/13/2024 05:27 AM"

LOOK: Washington State's 33 Endangered Species

There are endangered species everywhere in the world, but it can be hard to remember that some of them are close to home. Here are Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)'s list of endangered species in the state, as last revised in February 2022.

Gallery Credit: Jaime Skelton