State hopes to reopen Beebe Bridge next week

Published 8:06 am Tuesday, September 22, 2009

WENATCHEE — The state Department of Transportation hopes to allow limited traffic on the U.S. 97 Beebe Bridge by the end of the month.

The bridge across the Columbia River at Chelan Falls was closed by a fatal truck accident on Aug. 31. Since then, vehicles haven’t been allowed on the sagging bridge deck. Limited pedestrian use has been allowed since Sept. 8.

Project engineer Brantley Bain says the bridge might reopen as early as Monday, but crews won’t know until critical repairs are completed this week. The accident caused extensive damage, and some replacement pieces have have had to be designed and fabricated from scratch.