Crews close SR 410 White River Bridge after discovering structural damage

ENUMCLAW, Wash. – The bridge over the White River that connects Enumclaw and Buckley has been closed indefinitely after damage was found during a Saturday morning inspection.

The bridge carries State Route 410, and it has triggered a massive detour that may add up to an hour to a trip that normally takes just a few minutes.

The closure began just after 10 a.m. Saturday, when inspectors from the Washington State Department of Transportation found damage that worried them enough to ask for the bridge to be shut down completely. The inspections were scheduled to be routine, as crews planned to be at the bridge on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

When the bridge will reopen is not known. WSDOT inspectors spent much of Saturday determining how long repairs might take and at what point they feel it’s safe to reopen the bridge.

A statement from the Washington State Patrol said that the damage was likely caused by an oversized load striking it, but when it happened isn't known. But Trooper Chris Webb said that it didn't happen on Saturday, but was spotted during the inspection.

A recommended detour is in place, as drivers will need to go through Auburn, Sumner and Bonney Lake to go between Enumclaw and Buckley. But that will add on up to an hour travel between the two cities, causing traffic headaches for as long as the bridge is closed.

Suggested detour from WSDOT: