The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) relies heavily on the maintenance traveler along the 5,000-square-foot-long Tacoma Narrows Bridge to perform maintenance on the decades-old iconic structure. The original upper rails in which the traveler system was suspended from was recalled by the manufacturer for being defective, so WSDOT sought PCL to replace and rehabilitate the 65-year-old iconic bridge. To make the most efficient use of WSDOT’s design and construction dollars, we included the replacement of the aging upper traveler, the upper rail extension joints at the east and west towers, and the upper maintenance traveler access platform into one design and construction contract. 

The bridge now provides safer and more efficient access to the underside of the bridge for the WSDOT maintenance crews and allows the decades-old bridge to stay operational.