SR 169 Green River Dan Evans Bridge closing for several weeks south of Black Diamond

BLACK DIAMOND – Work to repair worn steel on the State Route 169 Green River Dan Evans Bridge will require about a month-long, full closure of the structure beginning at 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15. The bridge is located about 2 miles south of Black Diamond.

Under an emergency contract, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation must close the 93-year-old bridge to attach new steel along sections of worn beams that support the roadway.

During the closures people who usually travel on SR 169 between Black Diamond and Enumclaw will use detours:

• Passenger vehicles will use Southeast 400th Street, 212th Way Southeast and Southeast Green Valley Road.
• Freight trucks will use Southeast 400th Way; Southeast 392nd Street; and Veazie Cumberland, Cumberland Kanaskat, Retreat Kanaskat and Kent Kangley roads.

Inspection finds wear

A scheduled inspection of the SR 169 Green River Bridge in early August revealed that some of the steel supporting the roadway was too worn to continue carrying traffic. After a closure to further investigate its condition, WSDOT bridge inspectors determined the bridge could carry one lane of alternating traffic. Automatic signals continue to control traffic until the full closure begins Monday, Sept. 15.

The steel truss bridge was built in 1932 to span the Green River between Black Diamond and Enumclaw. In 2023, it carried about 11,400 vehicles daily.

Keeping the bridge closed until permanent repairs are complete minimizes long-term disruption and will allow the whole bridge to open sooner. 

Preserving bridges

WSDOT inspects all of its bridges at least once every two years and categorizes bridges by condition using a scale of good, fair and poor. These condition ratings help guide inspections and schedule long-term repairs. The SR 169 Green River Bridge is officially rated in “poor” condition. While earlier inspections had documented advanced corrosion, it had not previously been considered structurally significant until this recent assessment. WSDOT crews can close or restrict any bridge deemed unsafe for travel. 

As of June 2024, WSDOT owns 133 bridges categorized as load-posted or load-restricted. Statistics from June 2025 show WSDOT owns 342 bridges that are at least 80 years old.

A bridge is expected to have a service life of 75 years based on current standards. Regular inspections and maintenance extend this lifespan. The average age of state-owned vehicular bridges is 51 years.

Real-time travel information is available from the WSDOT mobile app, the WSDOT Travel Center Map or by signing up for WSDOT's email updates.