SPOKANE, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Transportation is demolishing Spokane's East Trent Bridge starting June 1.
The 110 year old bridge was one of the first concrete bridges to cross the Spokane River.
WSDOT says the bridge is getting too old and is costing more than it is worth. Typically WSDOT builds bridges to last 75 years, so the E. Trent Bridge has had an impressively long life.
The process of demolishing the current bridge and building a new one will take four years, because crews can only work during certain months.
"Being able to do any sort of in water work you've got a very limited window where you've got the water levels low enough, and slow enough, for you to actually be in the water working," Ryan Overton, Spokesperson for WSDOT said.
Crews put bird nets around the existing bridge to ensure the demolition does not endanger any wildlife. WSDOT also determined detours for people who need to get around the closure.
Normal cars can take Spokane Falls Boulevard to Martin Luther King Junior Way to reconnect to Trent Ave. Or they can take Mission to get across the Spokane River and use Napa to reconnect to Trent Ave.
Bikers and walkers should use the Iron Street Bridge just north of Trent.
Semi-trucks will have to use I-90 East to Freya Street, then head North to reconnect with Trent.
The closures and detours will be in place for four years. The new bridge will be done by the end of 2023, and will have a new bike lane, walking path, and less pillars in the river.