On October 20, 2003, a storm blew into University Place, dumping about 4 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. The rain saturated the banks of Peach Creek, which flows past Charles Wright Academy and under Chambers Creek Road causing soggy ground near the Peach Creek Bridge to give way. The shifting soil wiped out a storm drain line and added even more free-flowing water to the mix. Shortly afterward, a large tree near the creek lost its hold on the ground and toppled into the bridge, effectively blocking the road.

Washout

As the water continued to flow, it ate away at the earth underneath the roadway and around the bridge foundation, but didn't do any serious damage to the bridge structure itself.

Once University Place public works operations crews were able respond to the emergency, they began pumping water around the affected area to minimize further damage. When the situation was stabilized, it was determined that the safety of the road had been compromised and the road was closed.

Acting on Governor Gary Locke's declaration that it was an emergency situation, the city quickly hired Quigg Bros. Construction, the firm that built the bridge in 1998, to design a solution to the problem and get it fixed. Construction took about a month and the bridge reopened for traffic on November 26, in time for the Thanksgiving Day rush.

Repairs Underway

Back In Operation