SR 433 Lewis and Clark Bridge Finger Joint Replacement Project

Jan 20, 2024

On Sunday, July 16, 2023, bridge crews fully closed the SR 433 - Lewis and Clark Bridge, also known as the Rainier Bridge, spanning across the Columbia River between Longview, WA, and Rainier, OR, for four days. The closure aimed to replace the steel expansion joints that allowed the structure to expand and contract with daily temperature variations. The deteriorating expansion joints were identified and had to be replaced to meet bridge safety requirements and extend the life of the bridge.On April 12, 2023, bridge inspectors discovered a fractured floor beam, resulting in an emergency 12-hour closure. The extended full closure for expansion joint replacement also included replacing the fractured floor beams.

In June 2023, travelers encountered nighttime alternating single lane closures as crews prepared for the eight-day full bridge closure. The purpose was to replace the expansion joints and a fractured floor beam. During the full closure, pedestrians, bicyclists, and emergency responders still had access across the bridge except for a brief period while the floor beam replacement took place.

On Sunday, July 16, 2023, contractor crews fully closed the bridge to vehicle traffic. Remarkably, they managed to reopen it on Thursday, July 21, 2023 - four days ahead of the scheduled eight-day closure.

The SR 433 Lewis and Clark Bridge, also known as the Rainer Bridge, connecting Washington and Oregon over The Columbia River, closed on Sunday, July 16, 2023, for bridge joint and floor beam replacement work. Originally scheduled for eight days, the critical repairs were completed in just four days, and the bridge reopened on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

In 2021, WSDOT bridge crews discovered the need for replacement of the bridge joints on either side of the bridge. To address this, they opted for a full bridge closure, citing three reasons: increased safety, minimized traffic impacts, and ensured the repair's quality. On April 12, 2023, a fractured floor beam was discovered, leading to an emergency 12-hour closure. The original plan was to close the bridge for up to six days for expansion joint replacement, but the closure was extended to include installing a new floor beam.

WSDOT considered the safety of the traveling public and construction crews, traffic impacts, and the repair's quality and longevity. The full closure allowed the concrete near the new expansion joints to cure effectively, resulting in a high-quality repair that will last for ,many years to come. Additionally, this closure reduced the likelihood of unscheduled, emergency closures and repairs in the future.

Built in 1930, the Lewis and Clark Bridge is a cantilever bridge which measures 8,288 feet in length or 1.56 miles long, and was designed and constructed by Joseph Struss, the engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. At the time of construction, it was the longest cantilever bridge in the United States, spanning across The Columbia River, between Longview, WA and Rainier, OR. In 1982 the bridge was entered into the on the National Register of Historic Places, as the Longview Bridge.

Currently, the bridge serves over 20,000 vehicles per day, most of which are commercial freight vehicles, making it a vital connection route for interstate and local economies and communities.

Construction on this project began on Monday, June 26, 2023 - travelers experienced traffic delays for approximately four weeks.

At 8 p.m., on Sunday, July 16, the bridge was fully closed to all vehicle traffic. During the closure, contractor crews were able to successfully make the necessary critical repairs needed and they reopened the bridge ahead of schedule at 3 p.m., on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

Although the Lewis and Clark Bridge is owned by WSDOT, the cost of bridge maintenance and preservation work is shared between WSDOT and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) equally.

July 2, 2022 - WSDOT: Lewis and Clark Bridge to close in 2023 for up to six days

Aug. 1, 2022 - WSDOT seeks input on six-day closure of the Lewis and Clark Bridge in 2023 for preservation work

Aug. 2, 2022 When should the Lewis and Clark Bridge close for repairs? Answer in this survey.

Aug. 3, 2022 El Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) busca aportes para definir el cierre durante seis días del puente Lewis y Clark en 2023 a fin de realizar trabajos de preservación

Aug. 3, 2022 WSDOT scheduling six-day closure of Rainier-Longview bridge

Aug. 3, 2022 Six-day closure of Lewis and Clark Bridge planned

Aug. 7, 2022 Needs 'Vital' Repairs: Lewis and Clark Bridge project

Feb. 21, 2023 Contract awarded for Lewis and Clark Bridge repairs

May 2, 2023 SR 433 Lewis and Clark Bridge to close Sunday, July 16 for up to 8 days for critical preservation work

June 20, 2023 SR 433 Lewis and Clark Bridge repair project in southwest Washington begins Monday, June 26

July 13, 2023 SR 433 Lewis and Clark Bridge in Longview to close for up to 8 days starting Sunday evening, July 16

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For project questions, please reach out to:

WSDOT Southwest [email protected]

Si requiere la información en esta página en español, por favor contacte:

Pedro Reyes [email protected] 360-905-2076