On June 12, 2023, delineators appeared on Elma Hicklin Road’s Wildcat Creek Bridges 1 and 2, narrowing the two-lane bridges to a one-lane configuration so legal loads could continue using the bridges.

In September, Grays Harbor County will learn whether it received grant funding to replace these bridges.

Both bridges were built in 1951 and their substructure, superstructure and deck are comprised entirely of timber; in the county, 10 bridges are built solely with timber. The narrowing to a one-lane bridge occurred after an inspection on March 15, 2023, when county inspectors found decay in the timber pile caps on both bridges.

In April 2025, Grays Harbor County submitted an application to the Washington State Department of Transportation Local Bridge Program to fund four bridge replacements, which included Wildcat Creek bridges 1 and 2. These bridges were designated as the #1 and #2 highest priority for replacement by county and will cost a combined $6.2 million to replace.

“We see repairing them as a sunk cost [so] we’d rather just replace them,” explained John Becker, P.E., the county engineer for Grays Harbor County.

The county also submitted applications to fund bridge rehabilitation and multiple bridge repairs.

Program Director Jay Drye said that the bridge program “provides funding for over 4,300 locally owned bridges,”

“Tthat’s been our main source for replacing structures,” Becker explained.

In 2022, through the local Bridge Program Grays Harbor County received funding for replacing the Garrard Creek Bridge, Humptulips Overflow Bridge 1 and the East Hoquiam River Bridge, and the city of Aberdeen received funding to replace the North Aberdeen bridge. Of the 39 counties in Washington state, Grays Harbor County has the fifth most bridges.

Because of the restrictions placed on Wildcat Creek bridges 1 and 2, they are now inspected annually, instead of the typical two years, said Becker.

Another bridge in the area that also has a one-lane restriction is the West Fork Wildcat Creek bridge on Stillson Road.

“The timber pile caps have rot and decay in them so that’s what led to the reduced load and lane restrictions,” explained Becker.

For the West Fork Wildcat Creek bridge, the county is seeking to repair it using county funds because only the timber pile caps have decay; the abutments and piers are still sound. It’s also not composed entirely of timber, as there’s a concrete slab atop the timber pile caps. Becker said they are hoping to have the bridge “repaired or under contract this year before the end of October.”