Marlene Feist, 509.625.6505
Friday, May 17, 2019 at 4:04 p.m.
The City of Spokane today is closing the Post Street Bridge to all vehicular traffic, following a new structural analysis that determined the bridge could not safely continue to carry those loads. Pedestrians and bicyclists can continue to use the center of the bridge, but the sidewalks also will be closed.
The City is proceeding with design work to replace the Post Street Bridge, but construction on that project isn’t expected to begin until the spring of 2020. The City had hoped to start construction this year, but rising costs required the City to change its plans.
With construction postponed, the City proceeded with a new structural analysis to ensure safety. KPFF Consulting Engineers completed the structural analysis this week and determined that the supporting structural components are deteriorating, and the bridge shouldn’t continue to have vehicles on it. KPFF also is working on the replacement bridge design.
The 333-foot-long Post Street Bridge was built in 1917 and widened in 1937. The bridge is a reinforced concrete open spandrel deck arch bridge, and it carries a critical 54-inch sewer line. The new Post Street Bridge is being designed to maintain the bridge’s historic concrete arches.
