The state Department of Transportation says an Anchor Point bridge is at risk of becoming compromised. The bridge on the Old Sterling Highway crosses the Anchor River.
DOT became aware of the issue in 2017, but after an inspection earlier this month, spokesperson Shannon McCarthy said the bridge’s condition deteriorated faster than expected.
“The material from the abutment, which is where the road meets the bridge, is starting to flow under the bridge – really problematic, essentially creating a sinkhole,” she said.
DOT made temporary repairs this month. McCarthy said the department planned to close the bridge next week in order to make permanent repairs, but it pushed the project back to late August in order to avoid any inconveniences during tourism season.
“They have to go back and replace all those timbers with concrete, and obviously bring in good material, get rid of anything that’s saturated and refill it,” she explained.
McCarthy said there are no specific dates set for repairs, but she said the project is expected to close down the bridge for about a week. The department is monitoring the its condition daily.