Bridge Repainting To Bring Slowdowns On 529 Between Everett And Marysville

The State Department of Transportation put out a reminder this afternoon that repainting the bridge on 529 over the Steamboat Slough may cause some slowdowns starting Sunday. Here’s the info…

Even cruising along at 55 mph, it’s not hard to spot the rust on the northbound State Route 529 Steamboat Slough Bridge. If anything, it’s hard to miss.

Starting Sunday, Oct. 8, contractor Abhe & Svoboda will begin cleaning and repainting the 63-year-old bridge that connects Everett and Marysville. Right now, the paint is flaking and peeling away, exposing the steel to air and water and causing it to rust and corrode.

“Steel truss bridges have to be regularly cleaned and painted to extend their life and make sure they’re in good working condition,” said Mark Sawyer, project engineer for the Washington State Department of Transportation. “So this project isn’t all about making the bridge easy on the eyes again, though that is an added benefit.”

Road closures and speed limit reductions

The work will require single-lane closures on the bridge daily from 7 p.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and daily from 7 p.m. to noon Thursdays through Sundays while the work lasts into mid-December. The westbound lane of 37th Avenue Northeast below the bridge will be closed around-the-clock while work is happening. Traffic will alternate using the eastbound lane.

The speed limit will also be reduced to 45 mph for the duration of the project.

For updated closure information, drivers can check the Snohomish County Construction page.

Painting details

Due to the bridge’s size, work will be performed in sections. For each section, crews will:

• Install a containment system to protect surrounding areas from exposure to construction activities.
• Construct a platform within the containment system to provide a safe work area for crews.
• Clean that section of the bridge and remove all old paint by sandblasting it until bare metal is exposed. The containment system keeps the paint from falling off the bridge.
• Apply new primer and paint.
• Remove the work platform and containment system.

Marine restriction

The movable section of the bridge will not be able to operate with the added weight of the containment system. As a result, bridge openings for boats will be prohibited for approximately three months in mid-2018. This restriction will posted in the Coast Guard’s Notice to Mariners.

Crews will work until mid-December and resume work in April 2018. All lanes will be open during the winter weather break in work. The $7.8 million project will be completed by fall 2018.