Travelers along Washington State Route 109 between Hoquiam and Ocean Shores are unlikely to have a reprieve from road closures any time soon.

A 25 mph speed limit and one-way alternating traffic has been in place approaching Grass Creek Bridge since May 24. The closure is from milepost 6.32 to 6.65 of SR 109.

According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), an in-depth inspection of the bridge found that timber pilings under the southbound lane of the bridge were seriously deteriorated. The lane has been closed since.

“From the top, this bridge looks fine. Underneath is a different story. This bridge was rated in ‘poor’ condition in 2015. ‘Poor condition’ is a federal rating term used to help determine timing and planning of repairs. The term does not mean the bridge is unsafe for travel, just that it needs repairs and that it needs to be monitored to see if conditions change,” said WSDOT spokesperson Doug Adamson in an email to The Daily World.

According to Adamson, WSDOT began developing options to restore capacity to the bridge as soon as traffic was reduced to one-way alternating traffic. The agency is now evaluating repair options and the steps necessary to implement the repairs as quickly as possible, but there is no firm timeline at this point.

“We do understand the importance of this highway to everyone who uses it,” Adamson said. “Down the road, we are proposing to replace this bridge in 2026 using Move Ahead Washington funding. This bridge is an example of the bridge preservation and maintenance backlog that must be addressed.”

In the meantime, a temporary signal will remain in place to control one-way alternating traffic on the northbound lane. The southbound lane will remain closed indefinitely.

All legal loads are allowed over the bridge, including campers and fifth wheels. Supersized loads are not permitted.