Street Smarts reader Steve Hardy wrote: “Some time back the County placed an emergency weight limit of 18 tons on the W. Fork Quilceda Creek Bridge (140th Street NE and 27th Avenue NE, Marysville). If I remember my math correctly, that would be 36,000 pounds. Every day a number of dump trucks (both loaded and unloaded) cross this bridge. The trucks are either side-loader, or dump and pony units. Empty, these rigs are over, or very close to the 18-ton limit. Loaded they are 70,000 to 108,000 pounds (35 tons to 54 tons). Why is there no enforcement?”
Snohomish County Public Works Deputy Director Owen Carter responded: “I want to thank you for bringing this to my attention. You are correct that the County placed an emergency weight limit of 18 tons on the W. Fork Quilceda Creek Bridge… It is the County’s intent to reinforce the structural members of the bridge so the load limit can be removed. However, this work has not been completed at this time and vehicles over the 18 tons (36,000 lbs) should not be using this structure. I will ask the Sheriff to do some emphasis enforcement to correct this situation. Again I want to thank you.”
According to the 140th Street NE project website, design work is slated to wrap up in 2017 with construction planned for as early as 2018, if money for the work is secured.
In addition to replacing the bridge, the project proposes adding a traffic signal and turn lanes at the intersection of 140th Street NE and 23rd Avenue NE, among other improvements.
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