Fourth Avenue bridge fenced off

LORRINE THOMPSON, THE OLYMPIAN

OLYMPIA -- Thursday afternoon commuters inched around the barricaded Fourth Avenue bridge, past the orange cones blocking Deschutes Parkway and slowly across the Fifth Avenue bridge in a preview of traffic problems to come.

"The real test starts on Monday," Olympia Mayor Stan Biles said. "Monday is when we start getting back to normal."

By then, most state buildings and schools will have reopened, and more than 25,000 commuters and commercial drivers who usually travel the Fourth Avenue bridge will be looking for other routes to get to work or get business taken care of.

They won't find many options.

The bridge remains closed -- fenced off at both ends Thursday -- until a team of engineers completes a thorough evaluation. Among the tests they'll perform will be drilling to check for minute internal damage to the concrete pillars.

Biles hopes for a final determination within a week whether the bridge can ever reopen, he said, but it could take longer.

"The bridge does not look good to me at all," he said. "It's almost a miracle that it's still standing."

Deschutes Parkway, a "critical alternative route" between downtown and west Olympia, is also closed indefinitely with significant earthquake damage.

There's no doubt traffic in and out of downtown Olympia, particularly commuter traffic, will be significantly affected, said K.D. Seeley, Olympia Police Department's public information officer. She and other city officials are asking drivers to plan for delays and have patience.

Olympia officials worked late Wednesday night and started again early Thursday morning brainstorming ideas on saving Olympia from gridlock.

"It's a tired group of people right now," Biles said.

Among ideas the city will explore:

-Low-cost changes to the Fifth Avenue bridge, such as removing traffic islands in the center and slightly widening lanes at the end to help traffic move more quickly.

"There's only so much tinkering you can do, but we'll do all we can," Biles said.

-Biles will meet today with Gov. Gary Locke about exploring flexible hours for state workers, in hopes of spreading out the morning and evening commute.

-City officials also will ask other workers to consider changing work times and driving habits, trying alternative routes such as using Interstate 5 and U.S. Highway 101 to move from one side of the city to the other, trying car pools or van pools, and taking Intercity Transit buses when possible.

-City officials will meet with IT officials about alternative routes, and car pool and van pool help.

-Biles has already requested that federal emergency authorities help expedite funding and permits for the new $33.7 million bridge, which had not been planned for construction until 2003.

"I say 'had' as in past tense. Mother Nature has absolutely devastated that plan," Biles said.

The original plan called for construction of a temporary bridge while the permanent structure was built.

Now city officials are hoping permits and funds to start the project will come much sooner.

Even so, repairs to Deschutes Parkway and replacement of the Fourth Avenue bridge will take a lot of time.

"It's going to require considerably more patience by commuters," Biles said. "We'll need tolerance for delays. We'll need to be careful as we drive different routes. We'll need to watch for pedestrians.

"Don't let it get to you. Let's not become Los Angeles."

Lorrine Thompson covers Thurston County and health care for The Olympian. She can be reached at 754-5431.

The Olympian Copyright 2000

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