Look up as you drive north on Front Street in Issaquah and there it is: a chunk of concrete missing from the Interstate 90 overpass caused when a garbage truck punched a hole in a bridge girder above Front Street in March 2015.
On May 2, Washington State Department of Transportation contractor crews will begin work on a $1.2 million project to replace the 114-foot girder, which will force lane closures for area drivers. Luckily, those closures will happen at night.
According to WSDOT Project Engineer Mark Sawyer, he repair will require crews to carefully cut out the damaged girder, while protecting the steel and rebar of the existing bridge deck. The old girder will then be taken apart alongside the road below and a new girder put in place.
So… WSDOT says as early as the week of May 2nd, drivers should expect nightly lane closures and lane shifting on I-90 and Front Street to accommodate a temporary work zone.
Front Street also will close in both directions for up to three nights for the removal and replacement of the bridge girder. The full Front Street closures have not yet been scheduled.
The project is scheduled to be complete in early July. WSDOT will seek reimbursement for the cost of the repairs from the party responsible for the damage.
