Update Sunday 3:00pm: The Washington State Department of Transportation has pushed back the opening of Northbound 529 to sometime on Tuesday…

Here’s the latest information on the crash that shut down Highway 529 between Everett and Marysville early Saturday morning. According to Snohomish County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Susy Johnson, around 12:30am a Snohomish County Sheriff’s Deputy working a special DUI patrol had a vehicle stopped on Broadway when another drew his attention. He went after that vehicle which failed to yield to his lights and siren and went north on Broadway at a high rate of speed. After a very short time the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the northbound 529 bridge over the Snohomish River. The driver of the vehicle was a woman who was checked by medics at the scene and then booked into the Snohomish County Jail on suspicion of DUI.

Photos courtesy Wa State Department of Transportation.

The crash caused significant damage to the bridge over the Snohomish River on northbound Highway 529 between Everett and Marysville and inspectors from the Washington State Department of Transportation inspected the bridge and ordered immediate repairs. The crash severely damaged two steel beams that support the bridge deck. Bridge inspectors closed the bridge for safety at 3 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 1. Assessments and repairs plans began at first light.

“The impact of the SUV did significant structural damage to vertical and diagonal support beams,” said Dave McCormick, assistant regional administrator for maintenance and operations. “Without these support beams the deck could sag. The extent of damage is quite significant.”

To bring the bridge into working order and get traffic moving again, crews must replace the vertical and diagonal beams, replace about 30 feet of guardrail, and dig out and replace concrete that supports the guardrail. Crews began moving a large crane into place and manufacturing the steel beams Saturday afternoon.

“We will position the crane below the bridge and use it as a work platform. We don’t want to put any weight on that bridge,” said McCormick. The steel truss bridge was built in 1927.

On a typical weekday, the bridge carries 15,000 vehicles per day. The connection is a key link between Everett and Marysville. A signed detour to northbound I-5 is in place and should add about 10 minutes to the typical northbound trip. The southbound lanes which are on a second, unconnected bridge remain open to traffic.

Demolition of the damaged areas began Saturday afternoon. Repairs begin Sunday and crews hope to open the bridge to traffic by the Monday evening commute. Repairs are estimated to be $30,000 and WSDOT’s Rick Management group will pursue reimbursement through the vehicle owner’s insurance company.