Next steps for SR 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge

CARBONADO – The Washington State Department of Transportation has published the final planning study report that addresses access across the Carbon River Canyon. WSDOT accelerated the $1.5 million planning study following the closure of the bridge in April. 

The agency is now turning its focus to the preliminary design and environmental review of two alternatives:

• Replace the State Route 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge just north of the existing alignment.
• Keep SR 165 closed and remove the Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge.

WSDOT allocated approximately $7 million of preservation funding out of the 2025-27 biennium Transportation Budget for this next phase of work.

Next steps

Soil information is needed to determine where bridge foundations can be built. Survey crews are also active in the area gathering topographic information. This plus the soil data will be used to identify the best location and alignment for a bridge across the canyon.

“WSDOT is actively seeking right-of-way permits, which will allow crews to drill and collect information on soil and rock conditions in the project area,” said Olympic Region Administrator Steve Roark.

“This information and analysis help determine the type, size and location for a new bridge,” Roark added.

WSDOT estimates a six- to twelve-month timeline to collect the information. The timeline is dependent on securing environmental permits to remove some trees in the scenic Carbon River Canyon for drilling

Environmental review

The National Environmental Policy Act or NEPA, is a federal process which evaluates and addresses the project’s effect on land, water, air, wildlife and endangered species, nearby habitat, human health and historic sites. 

“WSDOT is responsible for collecting and analyzing the project alternatives’ environmental impacts and then hands off the findings to other agencies for further review and comment,” said Roark.

Other agencies involved in the NEPA review include the Federal Highway Administration, US Fish and Wildlife, National Marine Fisheries Service, Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Tribes and others. Each reviewer is allotted time to review and comment on WSDOT’s work, ranging from 30 to 135 days or more. Altogether, WSDOT is planning for a 24-month NEPA evaluation and review timeline. 

The public will have opportunities to provide input during environmental review. WSDOT will announce those dates once the information is available.

Final steps to construction

When environmental review is done, WSDOT can commence with the activities that lead to a construction contract, including property acquisition, final design, construction permits, and solicitation of the bids for construction. The timeline for this post-NEPA work is approximately 12-24 months depending on which alternative moves forward under the NEPA review.

WSDOT has more information about the next steps for the SR 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge project on the WSDOT Blog. 

Background

The 104-year-old SR 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge was permanently closed on April 22 after inspections revealed new deterioration of steel supports across the bridge. Photos show the bridge support column is bent in two directions and starting to buckle. 

The 494-foot-long bridge opened to travelers in 1921. In July 2024, the bridge’s load rating was reduced to 16,000 pounds, or 8 tons. This was the third restriction imposed on the bridge since 2009. In 2013, commercial vehicles were restricted from crossing the bridge. WSDOT published a blog in July 2024 about the structural challenges the bridge faced brought on by years of deferred preservation due to lack of funding.