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Judd Creek Bridge #3184 Resurfacing Project
Construction and up to six-week-long road closure began on August 18, 2026
August 26, 2026: After taking off the top layer of roadway, crews removed damaged concrete by hand to avoid damaging surrounding areas. They are now replacing those sections with new concrete before installing overlay.
Status update
September 1, 2026
Construction began August 18, 2026 and is expected to last up to six weeks. Vashon Highway SW at the Judd Creek Bridge is closed 24/7 during construction. All traffic, including vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists, will use the marked detour route shown below.
This project may experience delays due to materials, crew, or equipment availability and is highly weather dependent.
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View the project flyer (2 MB) and postcard (2 MB).
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 are removing the top layer of worn-out concrete on the bridge deck and replacing it with new specialized polyester polymer concrete. This work will protect and extend the bridge deck for 30 years or longer.
The work requires a road closure on Vashon Highway SW between SW Quartermaster Drive and SW 228th Street for up to six weeks. The closure is necessary because the bridge is too narrow to safely keep a lane open and maintain a safe work area for the crew.
A signed detour will be provided and all travelers, including pedestrians and cyclists, must follow the signed detour route. 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 existing bridge deck has significant wear and tear and 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.
What caused the bridge deck damage?
The 72-year-old concrete deck is cracked, prone to large potholes, and is nearly worn down to the steel rebar in some places. Water seeping through the cracks is rusting the steel and causing the concrete deck to spall which continues to make the damage worse.
Project location
This project is located on Vashon Highway SW between SW Quartermaster Drive and SW 228th Street.
Six-week traffic detour during construction
Vashon Highway SW at the Judd Creek Bridge is closed from SW Quartermaster Drive to SW 228th Street.
All travelers including pedestrians and bicyclists should 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.
Budget and funding sources
The estimated total project cost is $1.6 million. This project is funded by a Federal Local Bridge grant with King County matching a small percentage of the funds.
Project timeline
- Early 2026 – Advertise to contractors
- August 18, 2026 – Construction began
- Fall 2026 – Project complete (anticipated)
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
August 25, 2026: A portion of the bridge deck where weak concrete was removed. There are several spots like this on this bridge which will repaired before the final deck overlay.
August 20, 2026: Removal of weak concrete from the bridge deck with a compressor hammer. This work must be done by hand to avoid damaging surrounding sections.
August 19, 2026: Using a process called scarification, crews remove the top layer of concrete on the bridge deck to expose weak spots that need to be repaired before the overlay is installed.
August 18, 2026: Contractor crews working for King County closed Vashon Highway SW at the Judd Creek Bridge.
May 2026: An image showing several patched potholes that were previously repaired on the bridge.
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.