Starting in May, the State Route 536 bridge that crosses the Skagit River in Mount Vernon will be closed for 11 months for its first repaint since 1990.

The $7 million project is expected to be completed in spring 2027.

Once the old paint, bird droppings and debris have been scrubbed off, the bridge will be repainted light gray, matching its current color. Repainting should help extend the bridge’s service life, representing a less expensive and time-consuming alternative to replacing the 73-year-old structure altogether, according to a project overview on the Washington State Department of Transportation’s website.

The eastbound side of the bridge will be fully closed for the entirety of the project, allowing only emergency response vehicles that can activate a traffic signal switch.

The westbound side will experience several full closures during some scheduled nights and weekends, with WSDOT informing the community when to expect the full closures. The westbound lane will remain accessible to emergency response vehicles during these closures.

To get to the other side of the river, passenger and freight vehicles must follow signed detours.

Pedestrians and bicyclists may still cross the bridge. During full closures, they can rely on a free shuttle service with pickup and drop-off points near both ends of the bridge, according to the agency.

Closing to eastbound traffic should keep westbound travel times unaffected.

Still, keeping one lane open means the project will take longer to complete. On top of that, the construction schedule could be extended as a result of cold temperatures and increased moisture in the winter months.

While conducting the work at night may sound like a good idea, lower temperatures make it difficult for the paint to cure to the steel structure, according to WSDOT.

For real-time traffic alerts, visit wsdot.wa.gov.