Tri-Cities Blue Bridge Update: End of Traffic Jams is in Sight

I thought the construction and slowdowns would never end, but it looks like the Blue Bridge renovation is almost done!

Blue Bridge Renovation Nearing Completion: Good News for Tri-City Drivers

Drivers in the Tri-Cities can soon breathe a sigh of relief as the long-awaited renovation of the Blue Bridge, officially known as the Pioneer Memorial Bridge, is ending by mid-January 2024. The Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has confirmed that the year-long, $33.5 million repainting project is approaching its final stages.

Since work began in February, traffic on Highway 395 has been restricted to a single lane in each direction on most days. This important connection between Pasco and Kennewick over the Columbia River typically sees around 66,000 vehicles each day. The ongoing construction has caused significant delays in the area, with many using alternative routes like the Glenn Lee-Sam Volpentest Bridges or the Ed Hendler Bridge to avoid congestion.

Originally opened in 1954, the Blue Bridge is the oldest of the three Columbia River crossings in the Tri-Cities. The last maintenance for the bridge included the repainting of its trusses in 1995. The Blue Bridge project is WSDOT's largest initiative in the region for this year and was fully funded by the Federal Highway Administration’s National Highway Performance Program.

The repainting project has required the removal of old paint and rust inspections, then the application of five new coats of "Air Force Blue," preserving the bridge’s iconic color on the outside beams, and white on the vertical beams in the center. The contractor overseeing the project recently completed work on the bridge’s underside and has been focused on the upper beams. Contractors are currently focused on the upper truss sections, with about half already fully painted. The team is on track to finish the entire bridge’s painting by late November. After that, it will take several months to dismantle the containment system with the project to be completed mid-January 2025.

The next phase after the painting is complete will involve dismantling all the containment systems designed to catch debris and protect the river from pollutants. There will still be some lane closures during that time set to start most likely near the middle to end of November. WSDOT says the full project completion is on track for January.