SR 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge closed until further notice

CARBONADO – Effectively immediately, the Washington State Department of Transportation has closed the State Route 165 Carbon River Fairfax Bridge to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic until further notice.

The single-lane bridge is located at milepost 11.5, three miles south of Carbonado in Pierce County. The closure means there is no access across the 103-year-old bridge.

Preliminary findings from recent inspections of the bridge revealed new deterioration of steel supports of the more than century-old span. In the coming weeks, WSDOT bridge engineers will perform further analysis on the bridge. Until those results are final, WSDOT is closing the bridge as a safety precaution.

In 2024, WSDOT signed an emergency declaration that expedited work for an emergency detour route for first responders and local property owners south of the bridge. The emergency detour route is not open to the public.

The bridge provided access to Mount Rainier National Park's Mowich Lake Entrance and Carbon River Ranger Station and other outdoor recreation areas. Due to the closure of the bridge, there is no public access from SR 165 to these areas.

Background

In July 2024, the bridge's load rating was reduced to 16,000 pounds (8 tons). This was the third restriction imposed on the bridge since 2009. In 2013, commercial vehicles were restricted from crossing the bridge.

The 494-foot-long bridge opened to travelers in 1921. A bridge is expected to have a service life of 75 years based on current standards. The average age of state-owned vehicle bridges is 51 years. The Carbon River Bridge is 103 years old.

There is no funding available to replace the bridge at this point. Years of deferred preservation work due to limited preservation funding resulted in the updated weight restrictions and now the indefinite closure.

WSDOT's bridge inspection program regularly monitors the conditions of all the state's approximate 3,600 bridges.

To get the latest information about road work on state highways in Pierce County, sign up for email updates. Real-time travel information is available on the WSDOT app and statewide travel map.