Sumner Imposes New Weight Restrictions on Bridge Street Bridge

Beginning Feb. 3, Sumner is limiting the Bridge Street Bridge to vehicles weighing less than 12 tons.

This means that passenger cars, smaller commercial trucks and SUVs can continue to use the bridge, but large delivery trucks, buses and tractor-trailers cannot use it anymore. 

The change in weight restriction follows recommendations of both Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and Jacobs Engineering Group, a consultant hired by Sumner, to lower the weight limit. 

“The bridge is an important connection in our city," said Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow. "We need everyone’s help to keep heavy vehicles off that bridge so that it can continue to serve passenger vehicles until a replacement can be built.” 

Sumner is working with East Pierce Fire and Rescue, DM Disposal, Sumner School District, the Port of Tacoma and Washington Trucking Associations to help reroute large vehicles.

With stations in both Edgewood and Sumner, East Pierce Fire and Rescue will still be able to quickly respond to incidents on both sides of the bridge. Any other businesses with questions about the bridge should contact City Engineer Mike Dahlem at 253-299-5702. Anyone spotting large trucks and busses still using the bridge should contact City of Sumner at 253-299-5700 and report the name of the company. Sumner will follow up with further education to that business and its drivers.

The City of Sumner is applying for State funds to replace the bridge. A replacement bridge will allow for widened capacity to better serve current and future traffic demands. The timeframe for this replacement bridge will be based upon the availability of funding. 

The bridge serves as a link between Sumner’s downtown and The Old Cannery Furniture Warehouse, The Old Coffee Company, Sumner’s Visitor Center, Snider Petroleum, and Captain Jacks as well as routes to Edgewood, Puyallup and the Port of Tacoma. The City of Sumner is working with these businesses to help reroute any large vehicles. The routes now needing to be used by vehicles over five tons are the 24th Street exit from Highway 167 to the West Valley Highway on the north and the Meridian exit to Valley Avenue E from the south. 

The Bridge Street Bridge was built in the 1920s.  This 360-foot span uses steel trusses and concrete approach spans to cross the White River between Sumner’s Main Street and Valley Avenue E. The Bridge Street Bridge plays a big role in the Come Walk With Me cancer walk and Bridge Lighting festivities. The City of Sumner will seek cultural grant opportunities to fund architectural echoes of the existing bridge in the new design in order to provide both safe transportation and a continuation of the bridge’s visual role in the community.

Editor's Note: The above is a press release from the City of Sumner. We have attached a map that includes alternate routes to this article.