State Route 16 commuters across the southern Puget Sound received an unexpected reprieve on Friday morning when transportation authorities reopened all westbound lanes of the 1950 Tacoma Narrows Bridge a full seven days ahead of schedule.
WSDOT maintenance vehicles had maintained protective channelization drums and electronic message signs across the westbound approach throughout the week, clearing those barriers ahead of the Friday midday commute to normalize traffic before afternoon peak hours.
Opened to vehicular traffic in 1950 to replace the infamous 1940 bridge that collapsed in high winds, the westbound span, known historically as Sturdy Gertie, has carried Puget Sound motorists for over seven decades.
Peninsula commuters who travel daily to medical facilities, construction sites, and manufacturing centers in Tacoma and Seattle experienced severe afternoon travel penalties during the initial days of the closure.
In addition to expansion joint overhauls, the six-year preservation program allocates substantial resources for repainting the bridge deck trusses, steel towers, and suspension components to prevent marine corrosion from saltwater spray.
Maintenance crews completed emergency partial expansion joint repairs on the 1950 Tacoma Narrows Bridge, reopening all westbound lanes and the Jackson Avenue on-ramp seven days ahead of schedule.