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Baring Bridge Replacement Project

A temporary bridge is expected to be installed in spring 2026

Baring Bridge on December 14 2025

Baring Bridge over the South Fork Skykomish River.

Status update

December 2025

King County is working quickly to restore safe access and important services for people living in Baring, WA after storms and flooding in December damaged roads and bridges throughout Western Washington. To help right away, the Department of Local Services’ Road Services team and the County’s Finance and Business Operations Division fast-tracked a construction contract to build a temporary bridge. This bridge will be located just downstream from the historic Baring Bridge over the South Fork Skykomish River. The river crossing is the only way to reach about 170 homes.

The Baring Bridge was badly damaged during the storm. Road Services crews cleared logs and made small repairs after several trees hit the bridge, but now only vehicles under 5 tons (10,000 pounds) can use it. This limits access for residents, emergency crews, utility workers, and deliveries of things like propane and septic supplies. The new temporary bridge will let heavier vehicles reach the community.

If you have a load over 5 tons, please notify Road Services. Our bridge engineers will review and decide if the use is permissible. Please visit the Bridge load limits and permits in Unincorporated King County website for more information. Overweight vehicles must be reviewed and approved prior to use.

The temporary bridge is expected to be installed in spring 2026. The project will cost about $3.5 million and will be built by Johansen Construction Company of Sumner, WA. King County is also planning a permanent replacement for the historic Baring Bridge which is expected to begin in 2029.

Before the temporary bridge is installed, King County will hold a community meeting for Baring residents.

The community can stay informed about this project by visiting this website, subscribing to Road Alerts in the Skykomish Area, and using the MyCommute Map.

24/7 Road Helpline contact information

24/7 Road Helpline

Report road maintenance and safety issues in unincorporated King County 24 hours a day at 206-477-8100 or 1-800-527-6237.

Project overview

The Baring Bridge provides sole access to approximately 170 properties, including more than 40 residences, in the unincorporated community of Baring, WA. Much of the bridge has been repaired or retrofitted over the years, however it continues to decay and must be replaced. King County will replace the existing timber bridge with a wider, steel truss bridge. The new bridge will be open to all vehicles and carry no weight restrictions. Construction for the permanent replacement is anticipated to begin in 2029 and last through 2031.

Baring Bridge over the south fork of the Skykomish River.

The current bridge was built in 1930. In 1999, it was designated a Landmark by King County and in August 2019, the bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Project location

Vicinity map for the Baring Bridge project location.

Baring Bridge is a King County owned and maintained timber suspension bridge. It is located on NE Index Creek Road over the South Fork Skykomish River near the Town of Baring and U.S. Route 2.

Permanent replacement bridge design

The new permanent Baring Bridge will be a steel truss bridge. It will be built in the same location as the existing bridge. The new bridge will be open to all sizes and types of vehicles. It will have one single lane and wide shoulders for pedestrians.

Drawing of the new bridge design.

  • Reusing the main steel cables of the existing bridge as a decorative element on the bridge railing.
  • Painting the steel truss “National Park Service Brown,” so that it blends in with the scenery.
  • Incorporating weathered steel railings on the bridge and approach to better fit the rural character of the setting.
  • Weathering the steel railings on the new bridge and the bridge approaches to help make the new bridge appear older than it is.

Baring Bridge, existing condition.

The weight restriction on the existing Baring bridge (above) is 5 tons (10,000 pounds). The steel truss replacement bridge will not have a vehicle weight restriction.

What to expect during construction

Construction for the permanent structure is currently planned to start in spring 2029 and end in fall 2031. In the spring of 2026, King County expects to install a temporary one-lane bridge adjacent to and downstream of the existing bridge. The temporary bridge will carry traffic over the South Fork Skykomish River until construction can begin and while the permanent bridge is under construction.

Community involvement

A public meeting about the project is anticipated to be held in 2026 prior to the installation of the temporary bridge.

Public engagement with community members about the replacement Baring Bridge project began in January 2019. Since then, we have held several community meetings, presentations and workshops. We've used input from residents, visitors, local businesses, county representatives, state and national agencies to help design the replacement bridge. The project team will continue to work with the public and partner agencies until the new bridge is officially complete. A detailed listing of our public engagement materials, activities and presentations is available in the public outreach and documents section of this website. Community members are welcome to contact us directly for more information or to schedule a meeting.

Community members at a project meeting in January 2019.

Road Services held the first Baring Bridge Replacement Project open house in January 2019. The open house was held in the King County Fire District 50 station near the Baring Bridge.

Project documents

Project documents are added to this website for public view. Please read below to see the:

Frequently asked questions about the selected preferred alternative

The new bridge will be built in the approximate same location as the existing bridge.
The Baring Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register of Historic Places is governed by federal and state laws and regulations. King County must follow specific rules to decommission, remove and replace a bridge or any other property that is listed on or has been determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

Federal and state laws require mitigation for the removal and replacement of the bridge. Mitigation is a list of agreed-upon actions or commitments designed to help compensate for possible environmental impacts caused by the removal and replacement of the bridge. In this case, the U.S Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for determining the proposed mitigation plan. Next, the Corps works with the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation to make sure both agencies agree on the proposed mitigation plan. Once the agreement is finalized, the Corps will publish a document called the Memorandum of Agreement. This Memorandum is necessary to allow the county to remove the historic Baring bridge.
The Baring Bridge is listed as a King County Landmark. To remove the bridge, Road Services applied for permission from the King County Landmarks Commission. The Landmarks Commission reviewed our application and provided a public comment period. Following the review and public comment process, the Commission granted Road Services permission with a "Certificate of Appropriateness" on March 4, 2025. This certificate is what Road Services needs to move forward. 
King County engaged with a team of engineering and environmental experts and community members to help select the final design of the new bridge. The experts and the community members were provided with several bridge design alternatives and asked to provide their input according to what was most important to them.
An inclusive team of experts met to discuss, evaluate and score all the proposed design alternatives. The experts included specialists from a variety of fields: Engineering, permitting, environmental, property right-of-way, and bridge construction. Next, the team engaged with community members to find out what was most important to the community, and to receive input, comments and questions about the proposed bridge design alternatives. The total scores of each design alternative along with input from the community were reviewed, analyzed and finalized by the Director of King County Road Services, the County Road Engineer and the Engineering Section Manager.
The final design, permitting, and necessary land purchases are expected to be complete in late 2028. We originally planned to complete all the design, permitting and right-of-way work in late 2023. However, it is taking longer than anticipated to obtain the necessary federal and local permits needed to finalize the design and start construction of the permanent bridge.

We intend to advertise the project to potential contractors in winter  2028. Construction is expected to start in spring/summer 2029 and end in spring 2031.
Yes, the weight restriction on the existing bridge is 5 tons (10,000 pounds). The weight restriction was reduced in January 1995 and further reduced after a major storm in December 2025. The bridge has a posted speed limit of 5 miles per hour.
No. The new bridge will not have any weight restrictions.
Yes. A temporary bridge will be built adjacent to and downstream of the existing bridge for public use until the permanent is complete. The temporary bridge will not have weight restrictions.
Community members are always welcome to contact the project team. You can email our communications manager at abresslour@kingcounty.gov or call 206-477-9223.

Photos

Tree damage to the Baring Bridge.

December 2025: The Baring Bridge was badly damaged during the storm. Road Services crews cleared logs and made small repairs after several trees hit the bridge.


Trees on the Baring Bridge.

December 2025: Road Services crews worked quickly to clear fallen logs and make temporary repairs after several trees struck the bridge.


Baring Bridge.

Baring Bridge over the South Fork Skykomish River.

Signage before the bridge, facing west

Signage before the bridge, facing west

Signage at the bridge, facing west

Signage at the bridge, facing west

Deck on the bridge following recent repairs

Deck on the bridge following recent repairs

Repairs to the bottom of the bridge

Repairs to the bottom of the bridge

Rusted cables at the top of the bridge tower

Rusted cables at the top of the bridge tower

Crushed timber support under a bridge cap

Crushed timber support under a bridge cap

Sag between panel points 12-21

Sag between panel points 12-21

Previous Next
  1. Slide 1

    Signage before bridge

  2. Slide 2

    Signage at bridge

  3. Slide 3

    Bridge deck

  4. Slide 4

    Bottom of bridge

  5. Slide 5

    Bridge cables

  6. Slide 6

    Bridge supports

  7. Slide 7

    Bridge panels

Related topics

Title VI compliance

Learn about Title VI compliance by the Road Services Division

Bridges

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Vehicle weight restrictions for bridges

Get updates on bridges with weight restrictions and find vehicle weight, height, speed and other restrictions

Projects and programs

Road Services' projects and programs in unincorporated King County
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