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Judd Creek Bridge #3184 Resurfacing Project
Construction and up to six-week-long road closure in summer 2026
Both directions of the Judd Creek Bridge on Vashon Highway SW (shown above) will close for bridge deck repairs in summer 2026.
Status update
Summer 2025
We expect construction to last six weeks in the summer of 2026. This project can experience delays due to materials, crew, or equipment availability and is highly weather dependent.
Vashon Highway SW at the Judd Creek Bridge will close to all vehicles during construction. All traffic, including pedestrians and bicyclists will use the marked detour route.
Project Overview
Judd Creek Bridge #3184 is located on Vashon Highway SW just north of Burton on Vashon Island. Contractor crews working for King County will remove the top layer of worn-out concrete on the bridge deck and replace it with new specialized polyester polymer concrete. This work will protect and extend the bridge deck for 30 years or longer.
We expect this project to occur during the summer of 2026. The work requires a six-week-long road construction closure on Vashon Highway SW between SW 225th Street and SW 227th Street. The road must be closed because the bridge is too narrow to keep a lane open and maintain a safe work area for the crew.
A signed detour will be provided. The just over six-mile-long detour could add an extra six minutes of travel time. We understand this is an inconvenience, please consider planning ahead.
Why this project is needed
More than 4,700 vehicles cross the Judd Creek Bridge on Vashon Highway SW every day. The deck has a lot of wear and tear and has a lot of cracks and potholes. Crews have temporarily closed the bridge many times over the life of the bridge to repair potholes and patch up cracked concrete many times over the years. Epoxy overlay was also installed in 2010 and it has worn over time and more potholes have been developed since then.
If this work is not done, the deck deterioration will reach the underlying rebar and accelerate the deterioration of the bridge deck. This would require a full bridge deck replacement that would be very costly and lengthy.
This project will grind the top half inch which will include the previous epoxy overlay, repair any deeper spalling, and then overlay with polyester concrete. Overlaying the concrete bridge deck is critical to keeping this vital north-south corridor open to traffic for years to come.
Six-week traffic detour during construction
Vashon Highway SW at the Judd Creek Bridge will close from SW Quartermaster Drive to SW 228th Street.
All travelers including pedestrians and bicyclists will use the marked detour route using SW 204th Street, 111th Avenue SW, SW 220th Street, Old Mill Road SW, SW 232nd Street, and SW 228th Street.
History of the Judd Creek Bridge
The bridge was originally built in the early 1890’s to connect Burton to the growing communities on Vashon Island. The first bridge was very simple, a log float across the creek and was replaced with a trestle bridge around 1892. The current structure was built in 1953 by bridge designer and architect Homer M. Hadley. Learn more about this bridge at Vashon History.
Frequently asked questions
Polyester polymer concrete (PPC) overlays provide a durable, impermeable, and long-lasting protective layer for bridge decks by replacing cement with a polyester resin binder, offering high strength and rapid curing for quick return to service. This system, which requires a chemical primer for superior bonding, protects against corrosion from salt and moisture, enhances skid resistance, and extends the bridge's lifespan.
Using specialized machinery, contractor crews apply polyester polymer concrete on a bridge deck in Kent, WA.
First, contractor crews will remove the existing concrete deck (approximately 0.5 inches deep, 370-feet long, 24-feet wide). The team will examine the deck closely to identify any additional repairs needed. Our team wants the underlying surface to be ready for the overlay.
Then, we will overlay the bridge deck with approximately 1.5 inches of new specialized polyester polymer concrete.
Bridge decks wear out faster than the rest of the bridge and are often replaced several times over the course of the life of a bridge. The rest of the bridge is in fair condition. The redecking in 2026, along with the repairs in 1996, 2010, and 2021 will help to preserve/extend the useful life of the bridge. This bridge was also retrofitted for earthquake in 1998.
Full replacement is not needed at this time and would likely cost in excess of $40 million dollars.
Project Photos
July 2025: A closer look at one of the many potholes on the bridge deck.
The Judd Creek Bridge will be resurfaced using polyester polymer concrete. In this photo, you can see the application on a bridge in Kent, WA.
September 2024: Completed joint and support beam repairs
April 2021: Contractor crews working for King County rebuild a section of the bridge deck after repairing a damaged concrete beam beneath the deck.
April 2021: Crews installing a temporary steel beam to support the bridge deck so the contractor can remove and rebuild the damaged concrete support beam.
October 2019: Typical pothole repairs: Crews chip out and clean potholes before filling them with concrete to create a smooth road surface.