Division Street Bridge to close fully for two weeks, then reopen before Thanksgiving

The state plans a two-week shutdown of the Division Street Bridge starting as early as Nov. 1, trading a short, full closure for a reopening before Thanksgiving. Upriver, the Marblemount Bridge and the Jordan Creek crossing are already back open.

MOUNT VERNON — The SR 536 bridge that links downtown Mount Vernon with the West Side will shut to all cars and trucks for about two weeks beginning as early as Sunday, Nov. 1. If the weather holds, the Washington State Department of Transportation says the bridge should then reopen in both directions in time for Thanksgiving, nearly four months sooner than first planned.

What’s happening

Since June 11, eastbound traffic has been blocked while crews worked on the bridge’s large eastern span: sandblasting old paint and grime, fixing or swapping out corroded steel and spraying on fresh coats. That part of the job is wrapping up, and the protective tarps started coming down Sept. 22.

The next step is the smaller western span. WSDOT, its contractor and city leaders agreed that closing the whole bridge for a short stretch would finish the job faster than keeping one lane open into next year. The original plan had work running into early 2027, ahead of the Tulip Festival.

During the full closure, crews will paint and repair the western span, patch the deck for a smoother ride and take down the tarps and rigging. Heavy rain or other setbacks could push the reopening back. Some crews may stay through the end of the year to clean up, but WSDOT does not expect long-term lane closures after the bridge reopens.

Getting around during the closure

• Eastbound: North on Avon Allen Road, east on SR 20, then south on I-5.
• Westbound: The same route in reverse: north on I-5, west on SR 20, then south on Avon Allen Road.
• Walkers, bikes and mobility devices: You can still cross. When the sidewalk has to close, a free ADA-accessible shuttle will carry people over the river.
• Emergency vehicles: They can still use the bridge both ways, with temporary signals at each end.
• Live updates: Use the WSDOT app or the WSDOT travel map.

Why now

Mayor Peter Donovan said the city checked with West Side businesses, the downtown association, the Skagit Valley Chamber, the school district, Skagit Transit and first responders before signing on. All of them, he said, felt two hard weeks were worth it to have the bridge open for holiday shopping and travel.

“Wrapping up the project before the holiday business season could be the difference in those businesses’ survival,” Donovan said in a statement released by WSDOT.

About the bridge

The bridge opened in 1954 and was last painted in 1990. It was built as a swing bridge to let boats through, has stayed fixed in place since 1967, and is one of only six movable bridges left on the state highway system. It is 675 feet long and carried about 18,000 vehicles a day in 2024. WSDOT lists the painting contract, held by Cekra Inc., at about $7 million.

Questions: WSDOT communications, David Rasbach, 206-719-0603. City of Mount Vernon, Candy Galindo, (360) 630-7479.

Upriver: Marblemount and Jordan Creek crossings reopen

In east Skagit County, two crossings are back in service, Skagit County announced this week.

Marblemount Bridge. The 96-year-old bridge on Cascade River Road is open to two lanes again after an overhaul by Stellar J Corporation that started in spring 2025. Crews dealt with failing paint, deficient truss members and connecting plates, rust in the steel floor, missing bolts, leaky joints and a peeling deck. A Federal Highway Administration grant covered the full $18.5 million, and the weight limit that had held the bridge to one lane is gone.

Jordan Creek. During the December 2025 floods, a log jam sent Jordan Creek around the old bridge on Rockport Cascade Road and tore out roughly 70 feet of road. Franklin Pacific has set a temporary Acrow bridge across the gap, paid for through FEMA disaster reimbursement. It will stay in place while the county plans a permanent bridge, which is expected to take several years.

Ribbon-cutting: Thursday, Oct. 29, 10 a.m.
U.S. Forest Service parking lot, just east of the Marblemount Bridge. Free and open to everyone.
Questions: Skagit County Public Works, (360) 416-1300 or pw@skagitcountywa.gov

Also around Skagit County this week

Guemes ferry goes passenger-only. The Guemes Island Ferry will carry walk-on passengers only, with no cars, while crews do maintenance on the apron flaps. The county homepage lists Oct. 20 to 23. The ferry page alert says Oct. 19 to 23. Check the county ferry page before you travel, or call (360) 416-1466.

Supreme Court rejects recall cases. In a unanimous ruling released Oct. 16, the Washington State Supreme Court called the recall effort against Prosecuting Attorney Richard Weyrich, Commissioners Peter Browning and Ron Wesen, and retired Commissioner Lisa Janicki frivolous. Six petitioners had argued that oaths taken by several judges and deputy prosecutors were flawed, arguments that lower courts had already turned down. The justices found nothing in the claims showing an office had been vacated, official acts voided or public money lost. The court let stand $5,348.22 in sanctions against the petitioners and ordered them to cover the officials’ legal fees for the appeal.

Sources: WSDOT, “Two-week closure of SR 536 Skagit River Bridge planned to accelerate completion of preservation work before Thanksgiving” (Sept. 24, 2026); WSDOT, SR 536/Skagit River Bridge Painting project page; City of Mount Vernon, “New Work Schedule Will Reopen Mount Vernon Bridge Just In Time for the Holidays” (Sept. 24, 2026); Skagit County, “Skagit County to Celebrate Completion of East County Bridge Projects” (Oct. 15, 2026); Skagit County, “Washington State Supreme Court Declares Recall Petitions Lawsuit Frivolous” (Oct. 16, 2026); Skagit County Guemes Island Ferry.