The King County Road Services Division will begin dismantling the old Norman Bridge on the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River northeast of North Bend during the week of Aug. 23. The project is expected to last up to two months.

The Norman Bridge has been closed to vehicle traffic since 1984, when a new concrete bridge was built. Over the years, the old bridge has continued to decay and is now in danger of collapsing under its own weight. It poses a significant danger to people who ignore the closure signs and climb fences surrounding the old bridge to access the river.

The county has hired a contractor to carefully remove the bridge and restore the riverbank around the site. During the demolition, the bridge will be wrapped to keep debris from falling into the river. The main span, approach trestles and pilings will all be removed. No significant trees will be disturbed during the project, and efforts will be made to ensure other vegetation surrounding the bridge is not damaged.

Travel under the bridge on the river will be restricted during the demolition. There will be cables and floats placed under the bridge, so boaters are asked to avoid the area.

The work should not cause major disruptions to vehicle traffic on surrounding streets, and flaggers will be controlling traffic on 428th Avenue Southeast when large trucks are maneuvering in and out of the work area.