Photo courtesy of Washington Department of Transportation

Construction crews are nearing the finish line on a $40 million project after the new eastbound SR 16 bridge in Pierce County, Wash., officially opened.

The Washington Department of Transportation recently announced that construction crews have reached a milestone on the new State Route 16 bridge in the city of Gig Harbor.

On May 11, the DOT announced that construction crews have made substantial progress on construction of the new span and the new eastbound bridge in Purdy is now open.

The newly-constructed bridge is part of a two-pronged project where crews are rebuilding and reconstructing aging culverts with two bridge structures on SR 16 and SR 302 Spur.

Photo courtesy of Washington Department of Transportation

The 206-ft.-long bridge on SR 16 replaces a 40-year culvert under the highway that blocks fish passage in Purdy Creek. Crews restriped lanes and moved traffic onto the bridge before the crucial opening.

With bridge construction complete, crews will remove the temporary lanes that kept people moving through the work zone. This summer, crews will rebuild the creek bed under the highway. Crews expect to wrap up final work by late fall.

Work began on SR 16 at Purdy Creek in fall 2022 and it will run through fall 2024. This specific location has specific time frames during the year when crews can perform work in the water. Weather and/or material delays can extend the overall construction schedule for each location.

Work in the water is allowed July 15 through Sept. 1. Crews will start to "de-fish" the stream, which means removing and documenting fish and other marine life in the stream. The stream will be temporarily diverted through pipes to the other side of the highway so crews can build the streambed in its new location under the bridge. This work includes adding sediment and large tree trunks to provide refuge for salmon and other fish species as they migrate through Purdy Creek. The final piece of the puzzle is the landscaping. After the in-water work is complete, WSDOT crews will add native plants along the stream to provide nutrients and food for the fish. Crews will work through the fall to finish any final elements of the project.

SR 302 Spur Update

The project also included a new bridge on the SR 302 Spur between Purdy Lane and 144th Street which was completed in 2023. This past April, crews returned to pave northbound SR 302. In the next couple of months when the weather allows, they will return to pave the southbound lanes. When this work is complete, a new shared-use path will open on the bridge for people who walk or roll.

Project Background/Need

Purdy Creek attempts to flow under SR 16 inside a 40-year-old culvert. Many fish species cannot swim through the old culvert. This project replaces the culvert with two 206-ft.-long bridge structures.

Purdy Creek also ran under the SR 302 Spur through an old culvert before it entered the tidal flats of the Burley Lagoon. The culvert was challenging for fish to navigate. During 2023, crews filled in the old culvert and built a 77-ft.-long bridge structure to replace it.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates the work at both sites combined will open a total of 6.5 mi. of habitat. This work also will help preserve the integrity of the highways and reduce maintenance costs by reducing or eliminating the possibility of culvert blockages.

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