SR 26 Adams County bridge repairs, detour begin Oct. 15

October into November, when Washington State University students and fans travel for football games, and traffic volumes can double, is not an ideal time to close a 17.5-mile section of State Route 26 and reroute drivers on a 32-mile detour.

This fall, however, there is no choice as a bridge deck needs to be replaced before winter.

In January, an 8-foot by 4-foot hole went all the way through the bridge deck, prompting yet another inspection.

That hole was patched, one of numerous short-term patches since the deck was scheduled for repair. Those patches are vulnerable to the freeze and thaw cy...