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Temporary bridge opened to traffic on August 6, 2026
August 6, 2026: The temporary Baring Bridge opened to the community after roughly four months of construction
Status update
August 6, 2026
Baring Bridge Construction Completed
On Thursday, August 6, 2026, crews completed construction of the temporary Baring Bridge on NE Index Creek Rd between 641st Ave NE and 639th Ave NE. The bridge is now open to traffic.
Work on the temporary bridge, located just downstream from the historic Baring Bridge over the South Fork Skykomish River, began on April 6, 2026, after December 2025 storms and flooding severely damaged the timber structure, and a decreased load limit was put in place. The restriction limited access to emergency crews, utility workers, and essential deliveries such as propane and septic services. Crews worked diligently to complete this project as safely and efficiently as possible, and we appreciate the community’s partnership and patience during construction.
The newly constructed temporary bridge does not have a posted weight restriction. All legal loads are allowed.
The historic timber Baring Bridge is now closed to all vehicular traffic. It will close to pedestrian traffic on September 30, 2026.
King County is also planning a permanent bridge replacement, with a wider, steel truss bridge. Construction for the permanent replacement is anticipated to begin in 2029 and last through 2031.
Community Celebration
King County Road Services is planning an event in September 2026 to honor and celebrate the historic timber bridge before it is removed. More information will be available soon.
The community can stay informed about this project by visiting this website, subscribing to Road Alerts in the Skykomish Area and using the MyCommute Map.
Project location
Baring Bridge is a King County owned and maintained timber suspension bridge. It is located on NE Index Creek Road over the South Fork Skykomish River near the Town of Baring and U.S. Route 2.
Temporary bridge project overview
King County worked quickly to restore safe access and important services for people living in Baring, WA after storms and flooding in December 2025 damaged roads and bridges throughout Western Washington. To help right away, the Department of Local Services’ Road Services team and the County’s Finance and Business Operations Division fast-tracked a construction contract to build a temporary bridge while waiting for the permanent replacement of the existing bridge. This temporary bridge is also needed for the construction of the new bridge for construction vehicles to access the far side. This bridge is located just downstream from the historic Baring Bridge over the South Fork Skykomish River. The river crossing is the only way to reach about 170 properties.
The historic Baring Bridge was badly damaged during the storm. Road Services crews cleared logs and made small repairs after several trees hit the bridge, but only vehicles under 5 tons (10,000 pounds) were able to use it. This limited access for residents, emergency crews, utility workers, and essential deliveries of things like propane and septic supplies. The new temporary bridge will allow heavier vehicles reach the community.
The temporary bridge was installed in spring/summer 2026. . Crews began work on April 6 and completed construction on August 6, 2026. The project was built by Johansen Construction Company of Sumner, WA. King County is also planning a permanent replacement for the historic Baring Bridge which is expected to begin in 2029.
Temporary bridge design
The new temporary bridge is an Acrow Bridge and is a high-strength, prefabricated modular steel bridge designed for rapid assembly and versatility in permanent, temporary, or emergency applications. It was manufactured in the United States.
The temporary bridge is wide enough to accommodate one direction of vehicular traffic and pedestrian access at the same time.
The temporary bridge looks similar to this photo of an Acrow bridge in Cordova, Alaska.
Permanent replacement bridge project overview
The Baring Bridge provided sole access to approximately 170 properties, including more than 40 residences, in the unincorporated community of Baring, WA. Much of the historic timber bridge was repaired or retrofitted over the years, however it has continued to decay and must be replaced. King County will replace the timber bridge with a wider, steel truss bridge. The new bridge will be open to all vehicles and carry no weight restrictions. Construction for the permanent replacement is anticipated to begin in 2029 and last through 2031.
The historic Baring Bridge was built in 1930. In 1999, it was designated a Landmark by King County and in August 2019, the bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Permanent replacement bridge design
The new permanent Baring Bridge will be a steel truss bridge. It will be built in the same location as the historic timber bridge. The new bridge will be open to all legal loads and sizes and types of vehicles. It will be 24’ wide curb to curb.
- Painting the steel truss “National Park Service Brown,” so that it blends in with the scenery.
- Incorporating weathered steel railings on the bridge and approach to better fit the rural character of the setting.
- The new bridge foundation will be located out of the ordinary high-water mark and will be on deep foundations to provide scour protection.
The weight restriction on the historic Baring bridge (above) was five tons (10,000 pounds). The steel truss replacement bridge will not have a vehicle weight restriction.
What to expect during construction of the permanent bridge
Construction for the permanent structure is currently planned to start in spring 2029 and end in fall 2031. In summer of 2026, King County completed installation of a temporary one-lane bridge adjacent to and downstream of the existing bridge. The temporary bridge will carry traffic over the South Fork Skykomish River until construction can begin and while the permanent bridge is under construction.
Community involvement
A community meeting was held on Saturday, March 28, 2026, for neighbors to learn more about the installation of the temporary bridge. The slide deck for this meeting can be found in the public outreach section of this website.
Public engagement with community members about the replacement Baring Bridge project began in January 2019. Since then, we have held several community meetings, presentations and workshops. We've used input from residents, visitors, local businesses, county representatives, state and national agencies to help design the replacement bridge. The project team will continue to work with the public and partner agencies until the new bridge is officially complete. A detailed listing of our public engagement materials, activities and presentations is available in the public outreach and documents section of this website. Community members are welcome to contact us directly for more information or to schedule a meeting.
Road Services held the first Baring Bridge Replacement Project open house in January 2019. The open house was held in the King County Fire District 50 station near the Baring Bridge.
Project documents
Project documents are added to this website for public view. Please read below to see the:
- State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Categorical Exemption (358KB), May 20, 2025
- The King County Landmarks Commission approved a Type III Certificate of Appropriateness for the Baring Bridge (192KB), March 4, 2025
- Baring Bridge Type, Size, and Location (TS&L) study (24MB), July 30, 2019
- King County Landmarks Commission Baring Bridge Briefing (4MB), October 22, 2020
- King County Landmarks Commission Baring Bridge Briefing (4MB), February 28, 2019
Frequently asked questions about the selected preferred alternative
Federal and state laws require mitigation for the removal and replacement of the bridge. Mitigation is a list of agreed-upon actions or commitments designed to help compensate for possible environmental impacts caused by the removal and replacement of the bridge. In this case, the U.S Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for determining the proposed mitigation plan. Next, the Corps works with the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation to make sure both agencies agree on the proposed mitigation plan. Once the agreement is finalized, the Corps will publish a document called the Memorandum of Agreement. This Memorandum is necessary to allow the county to remove the historic Baring bridge.
- Vehicular use of the historic Baring Bridge is no longer allowed. All vehicles must use the temporary Baring Bridge.
- The historic bridge will be kept open for pedestrians use through September 30, 2026. It will permanently close to pedestrians prior to winter.
- The historic bridge will undergo an inspection in August 2026. If this inspection identifies additional structural issues that make the bridge unsafe to cross, pedestrian access will be closed immediately.
King County Road Services is planning an event in September to honor and celebrate the historic timber bridge before it is removed. More information will be available soon.
We intend to advertise the project to potential contractors in winter 2028. Construction is expected to start in spring/summer 2029 and end in spring 2031.
- Within the riverbank, only the area where the bridge foundation was placed had all trees entirely removed. In the immediate nearby riverbank areas, as few trees as possible were cut to perform the work, but their roots were left in place to continue to hold the riverbank in place.
- Scour protection, mainly rock, was added around the bridge foundation to stop the soil from washing away and protect the bridge.
- During construction, workers will use tools like silt fences, straw, and coir logs to control erosion.
- The land beyond the riverbank was cleared for construction, and all bare soil was covered with seed and mulch for long-term erosion control until the permanent bridge project occurs.
Photos
August 6, 2026: The newly opened temporary Baring Bridge.
July 31, 2026: The south approach of the bridge with the foundation blocks, rock for scour protection, structural earth wall, barriers and steel trusses in place.
July 28, 2026: Crews repaving 639th Ave NE with hot mix asphalt.
July 14, 2026: Crews are installing guardrail to the temporary bridge.
July 13, 2026: Temporary bridge deck installation.
July 8, 2026: Crews are constructing a stabilized earth wall, a reinforced structure designed to support the bridge.
July 3, 2026: Contractor crews working for King County are pouring concrete in the bridge abutments, which are strong supports at each end of a bridge that act like anchors to keep the structure stable.
June 23, 2026: Crews are launching the final sections of the temporary bridge across the South Fork Skykomish River.
June 17, 2026: Crews are assembling additional sections of the temporary bridge.
June 15, 2026: Crews are assembling a “structural earth wall” on the south end of the project site. This will provide structural support to the temporary bridge.
June 11, 2026: An excavator operator is “launching” sections of the temporary bridge over the South Fork Skykomish River.
June 11, 2026: A section of the temporary bridge that crews launched over the river.
June 2, 2026: The temporary bridge is starting to take shape as crews assemble it over the South Fork Skykomish River.
June 2, 2026: Crews are installing a temporary bridge “nose” to front of the bridge to help guide it as they slide remaining bridge pieces in place over the river.
May 29, 2026: Crews are installing a temporary bridge “nose” to front of the bridge to help guide it as they slide remaining bridge pieces in place over the river.
May 26, 2026: Crews are putting together roller pads, cushion-like supports which will serve as wheels while crews push the bridge sections in place.
May 22, 2026: Crews are pouring concrete into the bridge structure to help strengthen and stabilize the bridge.
May 19, 2026: Crews are installing steel sheet piles, which will protect the bridge foundation and keep the structure in place during and after construction.
May 19, 2026: Crews are installing steel sheet piles, which will protect the bridge foundation and keep the structure in place during and after construction.
May 19, 2026: Crews are pouring and finishing the concrete launch pads on the north end at the project site, where the temporary bridge will later be installed.
May 19, 2026: Crews are pouring and finishing the concrete launch pads on the north end at the project site, where the temporary bridge will later be installed.
May 12, 2026: Crews are installing gravel borrow, a type of soil, around the bridge foundation to stabilize it.
May 8, 2026: Crews are installing scour protection along the foundation. These large and durable rocks will prevent the removal of sediment around the foundation, typically caused by fast-moving water.
May 7, 2026: Crews are installing ekoblocks, which form the foundation of the temporary bridge structure.
May 1, 2026: Crews are pouring concrete into the bridge structure foundation to create a stable surface for the next phase of construction of the temporary bridge.
May 1, 2026: Crews unload ekoblocks, large blocks which will be installed as part of the new temporary bridge structure.
April 30, 2026: Contractor crews working for King County are installing sheet piles that will support the foundation for the temporary bridge.
April 7, 2026: Contractor crews working for King County are relocating utilities and preparing the site for installation of the temporary bridge.
April 7, 2026: A video showing our crew driving over the existing Baring Bridge. Currently the existing bridge is weight restricted; however both the temporary bridge and the new permanent bridge will not have any weight restrictions.
March 28, 2026: Baring neighbors gathered for a community meeting with members of the project team to learn more about the installation of the temporary bridge.
December 2025: The Baring Bridge was badly damaged during the storm. Road Services crews cleared logs and made small repairs after several trees hit the bridge.
December 2025: Road Services crews worked quickly to clear fallen logs and make temporary repairs after several trees struck the bridge.
Baring Bridge over the South Fork Skykomish River.
Signage before the bridge, facing west
Signage at the bridge, facing west
Deck on the bridge following recent repairs
Repairs to the bottom of the bridge
Rusted cables at the top of the bridge tower
Crushed timber support under a bridge cap
Sag between panel points 12-21
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Slide 1
Signage before bridge
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Slide 2
Signage at bridge
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Slide 3
Bridge deck
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Slide 4
Bottom of bridge
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Slide 5
Bridge cables
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Slide 6
Bridge supports
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Slide 7
Bridge panels