Community Transportation

Two-week lane closure on Narrows Bridge to start Oct. 24

The two right lanes of the westbound Tacoma Narrows Bridge will close, 24 hours a day, between Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Nov. 8.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is closing the lanes for repairs to an expansion joint on the bridge. WSDOT announced the upcoming closure late last month, but didn’t have dates for the work.

The department warns drivers to expect afternoon commute delays that average about an hour for people who have to cross the bridge in the two lanes that will remain open.

Repairs to large expansion joints on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in April 2026. Photo by WSDOT

“WSDOT recognizes that during the work, the afternoon commute on westbound SR 16 will be challenging and appreciates travelers’ patience as crews make repairs,” the department wrote in a news release announcing the dates. “Afternoon commuters are advised to have a full tank of gas or fully charged vehicle before traveling from Tacoma to Gig Harbor.”

The HOV lane on the westbound bridge will open to all drivers. The Jackson Avenue on-ramp in Tacoma also will close.

Expansion joints

The 76-year-old westbound bridge relies on two expansion joints at each of the span’s towers. WSDOT described them last month as “steel pieces on the bridge deck that make the ‘thuh-thunk’ sound when you drive over them.”

Repair work on those joints forced eight of the 10 emergency repairs on the bridge since 2024. Commuters experienced long back-ups during those lane closures.

The transportation department plans to refurbish the bridge’s expansion joints next year, but the emergency repairs that start Oct. 24 can’t wait.

The upcoming project requires work both above and below the new deck, as well as pouring concrete. WSDOT said the work requires daylight.

An infographic created by the Washington Department of Transportation shows the location of expansion joints on the Narrows Bridge.

Fox Island Bridge lane closures

Separately, Pierce County announced single-lane closures on the Fox Island Bridge between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Oct. 20 through Oct. 22.

The closure will allow the county to complete an inspection of the 72-year-old bridge, which a 2013 study determined is “structurally deficient.” Pierce County is planning a replacement, expected to cost between $337.3 million and $4525.3 million, but has not yet decided on a design, timeline or how to pay for it.

The Fox Island Bridge. Photo by Tonya Strickland