Key Snoqualmie Valley bridge reopens after 10-month closure

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After a 10-month closure and a complete replacement of a 100-year-old timber trestle, the Ames Lake Bridge in the Snoqualmie Valley will reopen Friday.

The bridge, which is on Ames Lake-Carnation Road Northeast just south of its intersection with West Snoqualmie Valley Road, restores an important east-west route in the Snoqualmie Valley, one of the few roads in the area that will likely remain open during a flood, according to information from King County’s Road Services Division.

The new structure does away with weight restrictions, which the old span had, allowing unrestricted access for all vehicles. A sharp curve in the road near the bridge, which had hampered visibility, has been remedied with a wider road and better sight lines.

The new bridge is also better for Ames Creek, which it passes over.

Toxic creosote-treated timber piles were removed from the surrounding wetlands, and workers with Granite Construction — the project’s contractor — restored the natural channel of Ames Creek.

Tricia Davis, director of the county’s Road Services Division, called the road “a critical commuter and community route.”

“We know the closure caused real inconvenience, and we appreciate the community’s patience,” Davis said in a statement.

The $7.6 million project is estimated to be $3 million under budget and began in June 2024. It was funded by the state’s Rural Arterial Program, which is administered by the County Road Administration Board, and King County road funds.