CARLTON – Repairs to the railing on the Methow River Bridge 153/17 between Carlton and Methow are scheduled to begin Monday, Sept. 29. One lane of the bridge near the intersection of Gold Creek Loop Road has been closed since mid-August due to deteriorating rail on the southbound side.

The bridge’s railing is in such poor condition that it may no longer stop an errant vehicle should there be a crash. To reduce the risk of a collision with the failing rail, barrels were placed in the southbound lane and traffic reduced to a single lane. A portable signal has been installed to allow alternating traffic at the bridge. Additionally, a 25 mph reduced speed zone is currently in place approaching the bridge.

Hamilton Construction Company is the contractor for this project. It has experience working on other bridges of similar condition in the area. The contractor will install a new guardrail on the southbound side of the bridge and repair parts of the bridge deck.

Most of the work will occur within the current single-lane setup with alternating traffic. However, the bridge may be closed at times to all traffic for several hours. Updates will be shared when closure times are set. This project is scheduled for 30 working days, at which time the bridge will be restored to two lanes of traffic.

Work schedules change for many reasons. Check the real-time travel map for current travel conditions.