I-5 north restricted near Castle Rock

CASTLE ROCK - State highway workers have closed the right northbound lane of Interstate 5 across the Cowlitz River, after workers noticed a small hole in the concrete bridge deck early today.

Workers began making emergency repairs to the bridge at noon today. They expect reopen both northbound lanes by 6 a.m. Tuesday.

"They’re going to go under the bridge with an under-bridge inspection truck, create a form, then go back on top and repair the (reinforcing bar)," said Abbi Russell, a spokeswoman for the Washington Department of Transportation in Vancouver. "Then they’ll pour quick-set concrete into the form. It’s like a patch, but the problem is, there’s nothing underneath to catch the concrete."

The damaged area measures about 3 feet, although Russell said the hole in the deck itself isn’t that large.

She attributed the damage to the 56-year-old bridge to a hard winter, with several episodes of freezing and thawing. Vehicles equipped with chains and studded tires compounded the damage, she said.

The bridge is 59 miles north of where I-5 crosses the Columbia River in Vancouver.

Motorists should expect delays during peak travel times tonight, according to the DOT.

Advanced warning signs will be posted during the closure. Under Washington law, traffic fines double within a construction zone when workers are present.
The bridge is normally inspected every two years.