Snohomish - Granite Falls Bridge #102
Project Number: 3125-01
From milepost 1.549 to milepost 1.937
RATA Funds: $1,820,100
Legislative District: 39
Status: PE and Design
Date Approved: 2025
Granite Falls Bridge #102 is a vital infrastructure component whose replacement is essential due to its aging design, narrow lanes, high truck traffic, and structural vulnerabilities. The proposed new bridge will address these deficiencies by providing a wider, safer, and more durable structure with increased load capacity and modern safety features. These improvements will enhance traffic flow, safety, and overall functionality, ensuring the bridge can continue to support regional transportation and connectivity effectively.
The bridge, spanning 340 feet over the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River, is a key link in the Mountain Loop Highway. It supports a variety of traffic, including residents, school buses, freight, and tourists. The high elevation of the bridge (90 feet) allows for safe passage over the river, essential for maintaining connectivity in this rural area.
The bridge is crucial for accessing the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, a significant recreational area that attracts tourists and supports local recreation. Its strategic location makes it vital for seasonal and emergency access to the forest.
The bridge supports a substantial volume of heavy truck traffic, particularly from gravel quarries and lumber operations. These quarries are vital to regional construction and infrastructure projects, and the bridge is the only viable route for transporting these materials to markets in the Puget Sound area.
The project area does not consist of a historically disadvantaged or an overburdened population. However, in the event of a bridge failure, the only available detour is approximately 94 miles long and only accessible in non-winter seasons. This lengthy detour not only increases travel time but also results in higher diesel emissions and elevated safety risks.
The existing bridge is 90 years old and functionally obsolete. Concerns with the existing structure include the following:
•Narrow lanes result in safety concerns
•A limit of one truck at a time on the bridge
•High volume of truck traffic
•Fracture-critical nature of the structure
•High salt content in bridge deck
The new bridge will be wider and longer than the existing structure to meet current bridge standards. The bridge section will have two 12-foot vehicle lanes, two 5-foot bike lanes, and two 5.5-foot sidewalks on either side of the bridge, yielding a usable bridge width of 45 feet.
The bridge, spanning 340 feet over the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River, is a key link in the Mountain Loop Highway. It supports a variety of traffic, including residents, school buses, freight, and tourists. The high elevation of the bridge (90 feet) allows for safe passage over the river, essential for maintaining connectivity in this rural area.
The bridge is crucial for accessing the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, a significant recreational area that attracts tourists and supports local recreation. Its strategic location makes it vital for seasonal and emergency access to the forest.
The bridge supports a substantial volume of heavy truck traffic, particularly from gravel quarries and lumber operations. These quarries are vital to regional construction and infrastructure projects, and the bridge is the only viable route for transporting these materials to markets in the Puget Sound area.
The project area does not consist of a historically disadvantaged or an overburdened population. However, in the event of a bridge failure, the only available detour is approximately 94 miles long and only accessible in non-winter seasons. This lengthy detour not only increases travel time but also results in higher diesel emissions and elevated safety risks.
The existing bridge is 90 years old and functionally obsolete. Concerns with the existing structure include the following:
•Narrow lanes result in safety concerns
•A limit of one truck at a time on the bridge
•High volume of truck traffic
•Fracture-critical nature of the structure
•High salt content in bridge deck
The new bridge will be wider and longer than the existing structure to meet current bridge standards. The bridge section will have two 12-foot vehicle lanes, two 5-foot bike lanes, and two 5.5-foot sidewalks on either side of the bridge, yielding a usable bridge width of 45 feet.