Enumclaw — It's been a long, frustrating hassle for Tribal members, students, workers, or anyone trying to come to Muckleshoot — or go home — over the White River Bridge on State Route 410 between Buckley and Enumclaw.

The bridge has been closed since August 18 when an over-height, semi-truck struck several of the support beams on the bridge causing extensive damage and closing the structure to all traffic in both directions until the state completes repairs to the structure.

For more than a month, detours via state routes 164, 18, 167, and 410 around the bridge have been adding up to 45 to 60 minutes of travel during peak hours.

Following the accident, the Muckleshoot Tribal Council immediately began engaging with our state and federal partners to advocate for an expedited resolution that would restore this important connector for our communities. It was important that the Council share how essential this bridge is not just to the Muckleshoot Tribe, our economy, and community; but also to the broader regional economy and non-Indian communities that are our neighbors.

On Aug. 27, Governor Bob Ferguson issued an emergency proclamation in response to the closure of the bridge allowing the state to seek federal funds to reimburse the cost of the repairs.

We are pleased that the bridge should be reopened sometime between October 31st and November 15th of this year thanks to the quick work and advocacy of Ferguson, Senator Murray, Senator Cantwell, and Rep. Schrier.

We would like to extend our gratitude to them. These sorts of situations show why it is so important to continue to cultivate relationships with our state and federal partners. We must have positive existing relationships in the good times and not just when we are seeking help in times of need. The Tribal Council stresses this sort of active government-to-government engagement as a way of being not just a good neighbor but as an active exercise of the Tribe’s sovereignty.  

The Washington State Department of Transportation expects the Bridge will remain closed until mid-November, when permanent repairs are completed.

The White River Bridge is a steel truss bridge built in 1949. It carries an average of 22,099 vehicles each day. WSDOT estimates repairs will cost $5 million - $6 million.