After landslide, state closing bridge in King Co.

State officials say they're closing a bridge in southeast King County after deeming it vulnerable due to a recent landslide at one end of the structure.

Engineers for the state Department of Transportation say the soil around one end of the State Route 169 bridge over the Green River in Black Diamond is unstable and showing unusual movement, prompting worries that ground underneath the 80-year-old structure may not hold.

State officials say the bridge could remained closed for six months while crews stabilize the soil. An initial estimate put the cost of fixing the bridge at $10 million. Crews will begin by draining the surrounding soil of water.

The bridge carries an estimated 9,000 trips daily. Two detour routes are being designated: one for passenger vehicles and one for commercial trucks.

Recent heavy rains have soaked the Puget Sound region.

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