Inslee Issues Emergency Proclamation for State Route 506 Overpass in Toledo

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Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday issued an emergency proclamation authorizing emergency procurement procedures in order to repair the damage to the state Route 506 overpass in Lewis County caused when an over-height load struck the overpass on July 6.

The damage will require replacement of one span of the structure, with a cost estimated at over $1 million. The order is effective immediately.

The proclamation notes that  the overpass damage and its effects “continue to impact the life and health of our citizens, as well as the property and transportation infrastructure of Washington state, all of which affect life, health, property and the public peace, and constitute a public emergency demanding immediate action.”

“State agencies and departments are directed to utilize state resources and to do everything reasonably possible to assist affected political subdivisions in an effort to respond to and recover from the incident,” according to the proclamation.



The overpass, which has a clearance of 14 feet and 9 inches, has been struck by over-height loads three times within the past five years, according to the state Department of Transportation.

Three of the bridge’s seven girders suffered significant damage from the hit and all seven had some sort of broken fragments from the strike, according to WSDOT.

WSDOT has no timeline yet for reopening the bridge.