Expect speed limit reduction, delays on SR 162 near Orting for bridge swap | Department of Transportation

Drivers traveling on State Route 162 near Orting will soon use a much wider bridge over the Puyallup River. During an upcoming weekend, traffic will be reduced to one alternating lane while crews construct the roadway to the new bridge.

Construction schedule

Crews will temporarily reduce the speed limit on SR 162 from 50 mph to 35 mph between mileposts 6.6 and 7.15 near the current McMillin Bridge. The temporary speed reduction will be enforceable as soon as the signs are installed. The speed limit is expected to return to 50 mph by Sept. 25, or when the roadway is fully restored.
From 9 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday, Sept. 18-21, drivers can expect delays of up to 30 minutes while crews connect the highway onto the new bridge. Flaggers will provide traffic control for one alternating lane of traffic through the construction zone.
During those same hours, the parking lot at the Foothills McMillin Trailhead will be closed, however the trail itself will remain open to pedestrians and bicyclists. Local traffic will be allowed to access their property during the closure.

WSDOT needs help from drivers

Starting the evening of Friday, Sept. 18, WSDOT encourages drivers to avoid traveling through the construction zone near the McMillin Bridge. WSDOT advises drivers who must travel through the area to allow extra time, travel early in the morning or later at night, and consolidate trips.

The new 40-foot-wide bridge will have two 11-foot lanes and two 9-foot shoulders. The concrete structure is also built to modern standards to better withstand earthquakes and is designed to be widened in the future.

Fate of old bridge

The existing 22-foot-wide, McMillin Bridge, is considered historically significant. Due to its historical designation, the bridge will not be demolished but instead will remain in place. WSDOT will remove the roadway approaches to the old bridge and install bollards to prevent vehicles from driving onto the structure. The old bridge, with its narrow lanes and shoulders, no longer accommodates the requirements of today’s traffic volumes and loads.