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Mayors and residents urge federal action after Fairfax Bridge closure; committee hears joint memorial
Summary
A joint memorial asks federal leaders to treat the Fairfax Bridge closure as an emergency and allow NEPA to proceed concurrent with replacement; local officials and residents testified about safety, economic and access impacts.
The Senate Transportation Committee heard public testimony Feb. 5 on Senate Joint Memorial 8016, which asks the President, Congress and U.S. Department of Transportation to treat the Fairfax Bridge closure and immediate replacement as an emergency and to allow National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review to occur concurrently or after replacement.
Committee staff summarized that the bridge was permanently closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic on April 22, 2025 after inspections revealed deterioration of steel supports. Staff said the memorial requests federal leaders consider the closure an emergency and remove the bridge from the historic register if necessary so replacement can proceed more quickly.
Local officials and residents described the closure’s practical effects. Jamie Pololi, mayor of Wilkerson (SEG 1642), said the bridge is a primary tourism gateway for her town and asked the governor and federal officials to publicly acknowledge the severity of the situation. Remote and in‑person witnesses—including the Pacific Northwest 4‑Wheel Drive Association's Washington director Nicole Phillips (SEG 1610), resident Sherry Davis (Bonney Lake, SEG 1708), longtime Carbonado resident Steve Murphy (SEG 1782), and Jeff Pack (SEG 1880)—told the committee that the closure severs emergency access, strands recreation and conservation investments and harms local businesses that depend on park visitors.
Testifiers described public‑safety concerns: local fire‑service response times rose from about 30 minutes to over an hour since the closure, one witness said, and residents reported routes that now require 9‑mile detours on rough logging roads. Several speakers urged federal involvement and faster funding authority to restore access.
Committee staff recorded the bill as having no fiscal note requested; sponsors said the memorial complements state bills filed to use state emergency authorities and to expedite replacement. The committee closed the public hearing with a record of 67 pro and 0 con sign‑ins for the memorial.
The committee did not take a final vote on the memorial at the hearing; witnesses requested additional federal engagement and faster coordination among the Federal Highway Administration, Department of the Interior and state agencies.
