If you head west across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge toward Gig Harbor, the next two weeks are going to test your patience. Here’s what the Washington State Department of Transportation says is coming, and how to get through it safely.
What’s Happening
According to a WSDOT release from October 14, bridge crews will close the two right westbound lanes of the State Route 16 Tacoma Narrows Bridge starting at 5 a.m. Saturday, October 24. The Jackson Avenue on-ramp to westbound SR 16 will also close. The around-the-clock closures will stay in place until Sunday, November 8.
During the repairs, WSDOT says you’ll see:
- Westbound SR 16 reduced from four lanes to two.
- The HOV lane open to all vehicles.
- Congestion approaching the bridge and on Tacoma side streets.
- Delays of an hour or more from Tacoma to Gig Harbor during the afternoon commute.
Crews are making temporary repairs to an expansion joint on the 76-year-old bridge. WSDOT says it’s the latest of 11 emergency repairs to expansion joints on the westbound bridge since 2024, and a project to refurbish the joints is expected to go to construction in 2027.
Plan Before You Go
WSDOT’s advice for travelers:
- Travel outside the afternoon commute if you can.
- Carpool, and combine or postpone trips that can wait.
- Fill your tank or charge your vehicle before you head from Tacoma to Gig Harbor in the afternoon. An hour in stop-and-go traffic uses fuel.
- Check conditions first with the WSDOT app or Travel Center Map.
Merging When Four Lanes Become Two
Lane drops are where tempers flare and fender-benders happen. A few habits help:
- Merge when it’s your turn, smoothly and predictably. Signal early, match speed, and take turns with the driver beside you.
- Don’t swerve at the last second. Late, sharp lane changes near cones are a common way to cause a sideswipe. If you miss your chance, wait for the next safe gap. Our post on missing your exit and cutting across lanes covers why that move is so risky.
- Leave space in stop-and-go traffic. Rear-end crashes are common when traffic compresses suddenly.
- Stay off the phone. Crawling traffic tempts drivers to check messages, and that’s when they roll into the car ahead.
- Expect sudden slowing near the closure, and watch for vehicles entering from other ramps.
Respect the Work Zone
WSDOT asks everyone near work zones to:
- Slow down, and drive the posted speeds for worker and traveler safety.
- Be kind. Workers are out there to keep people safe and improve the roads.
- Pay attention to workers directing traffic and to the vehicles around you.
- Stay calm. Expect delays, leave early, or take an alternate route. No meeting or appointment is worth risking someone’s life.
Work Zone Tickets Cost Double
Washington law backs that up. Under RCW 46.61.527:
- Speeding in a roadway construction zone carries a penalty twice the normal amount, and that penalty may not be waived, reduced, or suspended.
- Driving in a way that endangers people or property in a construction zone, or removing, evading, or intentionally striking a traffic safety or control device, is reckless endangerment of roadway workers, a gross misdemeanor.
- A conviction for reckless endangerment of roadway workers brings a 60-day license suspension.
Already Have a Ticket?
Some Washington courts let eligible drivers take a traffic safety course as part of a dismissal or diversion program. Eligibility is set by each court, and the double penalty for work zone speeding can’t be waived or reduced under state law, so options for a work zone ticket may be limited. Check with the court on your citation before you enroll.
Where the court allows it, Defensive Drivers Institute’s Washington Traffic Level 1 Course is court-approved for ticket dismissal in participating Washington jurisdictions. It’s 100% online, you can start and stop anytime, and your certificate is available as soon as you finish so you can submit it to the court. The course covers Washington traffic laws, defensive driving techniques, and hazard recognition.
The Bottom Line
From October 24 to November 8, plan for delays on westbound SR 16, merge smoothly, slow down in the work zone, and give the crews room to work. The closures are scheduled to end November 8.
Has the court offered you a traffic school option? Start the Washington Traffic Level 1 Course.
