White River Bridge closure: WA businesses see 50% drop in business

White River Bridge closure impacts local businesses

As the bridge connecting Enumclaw and Buckley remains shut down after a month, communities on both sides have seriously struggled.

BUCKLEY, Wash. - Nearly one month after the White River Bridge was abruptly closed due to a semi-truck crash, local businesses in Buckley and Enumclaw say they’re facing a financial crisis.

The bridge, a key connection along State Route 410, has been shut down since August 18. With one of the main detour routes stretching more than 38 miles via State Route 167, local residents and small business owners are feeling the economic strain.

Haylee Mensonides, who co-owns Mount Rainier Creamery & Market, says the disruption has added close to an hour of drive time for her family to deliver dairy products from their Enumclaw farm—just four minutes away under normal conditions.

"This is getting old really fast," said Mensonides.

WA bridge closure cripples local business

Why you should care:

She noted that prior to the closure, up to 22,000 cars passed through the area daily. Now, her storefront sits at what she describes as a dead end—cut off from her regular customer base.

"It does kind of feel like we’re on a life support situation," she said, adding that sales have plummeted by about 40% since the bridge closed. 

"We’re trying our best to keep our staff with somewhat normal hours," she said. "We’re trying not to cut back anybody. We’re trying not to fire anyone."

In an effort to adapt, Mensonides partnered with Reynolds Trading Company on the Enumclaw side. With the help of owner Doug Reynolds, they’ve been able to set up coolers in his appliance store to distribute their dairy products more efficiently to customers who can’t make the trip across.

What they're saying:

"Bridging the gap between the two communities and working together is what we all should be doing," said Reynolds. "It’s a great partnership, and it takes care of their customers that can’t make it over the bridge or drive that hour back and forth."

But Reynolds is also feeling the pressure. His store has seen a 50% drop in sales since the closure.

"I really think they should have had a better plan," he said. "And I’m glad that the governor’s been out to listen to us, but ultimately we need that bridge fixed as fast as possible."

Local leaders and residents continue to call on the state for urgent action, as each day of closure pushes more small businesses to the brink. Mensonides hopes for a fix before the cross-town rivalry football game on Halloween known as the "Battle of the Bridge."

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