The Washington State hiking community has voiced dismay as Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced that the temporary closure of the Carbon River Bridge in Mount Rainier National Park will become permanent.
“It’s very apparent from the visual changes in the columns that the bridge is no longer safe to use,” Olympic Region administrator Steve Roark announced. "The bridge provided access to Mount Rainier National Park’s Mowich Lake Entrance, Carbon River Ranger Station and other outdoor recreation areas. Due to the closure of the bridge, there is no public access from SR 165 to these areas."
"The bridge has been closed to vehicle and pedestrian travel, which includes hikers, walkers, cyclists and other recreators," a spokesperson confirmed on Facebook.
The permanent closure of the bridge means that popular trails, such as Tolmie Peak Lookout, Spray Falls and Spray Park, are inaccessible. Visitors also cannot access Carbon Glacier, which has the largest volume of any glacier on the mountain.
Posted by WSDOT on
Following the announcement hikers took to social media to share their dismay and spitball solutions.
Michael Lee said: "I think this is the perfect thing to do a fundraiser for (not for the whole amount of course). I imagine the hiking community would come out in droves."
Whitney Mahoney responded: "That’s a really good idea. Do you know who to contact in regards to setting something like that up?"
Jackie McBride suggested: "Need to start a gofundme for a work around road or new bridge. Know tax dollars won’t go to fixing it."
WSDOT has initiated a planning study to evaluate options to address the bridge condition. Those options include:
- Keep the bridge closed and not replace it, which is referred to as a no build option.
- Bridge replacement in the same vicinity.
- Re-routing SR 165 on a new alignment to the east or west of Carbon River Canyon.
In-person and online meetings will be held after Memorial Day on May 26, when the public will have opportunity to feedback on the next-step options. WSDOT will announce the meeting dates via a news release and on the planning study web page.
WSDOT has said there is no funding available to replace the bridge but that it is actively working with the Governor’s office, partnering agencies and the state Legislature on all possible next steps.
“I think it’s fair to say the hiking community will be eager to see access restored to the Carbon River and Mowich areas,” Meilee Anderson from Visit Rainier, told SFGate. "It’s often called the quieter side of the park – a contrast to the more visited Paradise and Sunrise areas. The Carbon River corridor has a rare inland temperate rainforest climate. You think you know the color green – then you hike here and realize you didn’t.”
Residents south of the bridge, plus loggers, propane delivery trucks and emergency responders are able to use logging roads as detours. These routes require keys to pass through locked gates, The Seattle Times reports. There is no detour available for park visitors the National Park Service has confirmed.
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