The City's Endless Bridge Troubles
Tacoma's public works are stalled as city officials argue over shoddy materials and unfinished infrastructure.
The story, cleaned up
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The unfinished condition of the Puyallup River bridge was brought before the Tacoma City Council last night by a communication from the commissioner of public works. Although ordered built under the last administration and supposed to have been finished two months ago, the bridge remains at a standstill. Commissioner Welsh reported he had conferred with contractor J. H. Tilton, who promised completion within ten days. The delay stems from the Vulcan Iron Works, which failed to furnish the required heavy chains. A set of chains was delivered, but the city engineer rejected them as inferior. Commissioner Welsh remarked on the utility of the project, stating, 'I don't understand what use this bridge will be to the public when it is completed. I inspected the bridge the other day and the man said the bridge would swing way up in the air, high and dry.' Despite the skepticism, the council ordered the bridge repaired immediately, citing the desperate need for basic infrastructure.
“I inspected the bridge the other day and the man said the bridge would swing way up in the air, high and dry.”
Tacoma's ongoing struggle with bridge maintenance and contractor delays remains a perennial issue. Public frustration over infrastructure timelines and the cost of replacing or repairing aging spans is a constant feature of municipal governance in the Pacific Northwest.
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