What Is 2013 Skagit River bridge collapse

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 2013 Skagit River bridge collapse occurred on May 23, 2013, when a section of the I-5 bridge over the Skagit River in Washington State collapsed after being struck by an oversized truck. No fatalities occurred, but two vehicles fell into the river; both drivers were rescued.

Key Facts

Collapse date: May 23, 2013, at approximately 7:07 PM PDT
Location: I-5 over the Skagit River, near Burlington, Washington
Cause: Overheight truck struck critical bridge supports, leading to failure
No deaths, but two vehicles fell into the river; both drivers rescued
Bridge reopened on June 19, 2013, after 27 days of emergency repairs

Overview

On May 23, 2013, a critical section of the Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River in northern Washington State suddenly collapsed, disrupting one of the West Coast’s major north-south transportation corridors. The failure was triggered when an oversized truck hauling an industrial module struck overhead support beams, causing a chain reaction that dropped a 180-foot span into the river below.

Fortunately, no lives were lost, but two passenger vehicles plunged into the water after the sudden collapse. Emergency responders arrived quickly, rescuing both drivers from their submerged cars. The incident highlighted vulnerabilities in aging infrastructure and raised national concerns about bridge safety and oversize load regulations.

Truck impact: An oversized load from a Canadian mining company struck gusset plates on the northbound span at 7:07 PM, initiating structural failure.
Bridge type: The structure was a steel truss bridge built in 1979, classified as functionally obsolete but not structurally deficient.
Immediate response: Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) closed I-5 within minutes and launched a search-and-rescue operation for potential victims.
Rescue efforts: Divers from the Washington State Patrol and local fire departments pulled two drivers from submerged vehicles within an hour of the collapse.
Repair timeline: Emergency repairs were completed in just 27 days, with the bridge reopening on June 19, 2013.

Causes and Structural Failures

The collapse was not due to general deterioration but a direct mechanical failure caused by an external impact. Investigations revealed that the bridge design lacked redundancy, meaning the loss of a single critical component could lead to total failure of a span.

Design flaw: The fracture-critical design meant that failure of one steel member could cause a cascade collapse, as occurred here.
Truck dimensions: The load measured 15 feet 6 inches in height, exceeding the 14-foot 6-inch clearance under the bridge.
Permit oversight: The truck had a state-issued permit, but route planning failed to account for the low clearance at this location.
Material stress: The impact damaged two critical gusset plates, leading to immediate buckling of load-bearing trusses.
Inspection records: The bridge had passed its last inspection in 2012 and was rated 58.5 out of 100 on the sufficiency scale.
Contributing factor:Increased traffic and aging infrastructure across the U.S. amplified concerns about similar vulnerabilities nationwide.

Comparison at a Glance

Comparing the Skagit collapse with other major U.S. bridge failures reveals patterns in infrastructure risk and response effectiveness.

Incident	Year	Location	Primary Cause	Days Closed
Skagit River Bridge	2013	Burlington, WA	Oversize vehicle impact	27
I-35W Bridge	2007	Minneapolis, MN	Design flaw (gusset plate)	37
Francis Scott Key Bridge	2024	Baltimore, MD	Ship collision	Est. 12+ months
Dee Bridge	1847	Wales, UK	Cast iron failure	N/A
Polcevera Viaduct	2018	Genoa, Italy	Corrosion and design	Permanently replaced

While the Skagit collapse had a relatively short closure time, it shared design vulnerabilities with older bridges like the I-35W structure. Unlike catastrophic failures with high death tolls, this incident underscored how modern emergency response and rapid repair protocols can mitigate consequences despite systemic infrastructure risks.

Why It Matters

The 2013 collapse served as a wake-up call for transportation agencies nationwide, prompting reviews of bridge inspection standards and oversize load routing procedures. It also accelerated funding for infrastructure upgrades and redundancy improvements in fracture-critical bridges.

Policy changes: WSDOT revised oversize load routing protocols to include GPS tracking and real-time monitoring.
National impact: The Federal Highway Administration issued advisories urging states to audit fracture-critical bridges.
Public awareness: Media coverage increased scrutiny of aging U.S. infrastructure, influencing public opinion on funding needs.
Engineering response: Engineers began retrofitting similar bridges with redundant support systems to prevent single-point failures.
Economic disruption: The I-5 closure rerouted 70,000+ vehicles daily, costing businesses and travelers millions.
Legal outcomes: The trucking company paid $3.6 million in damages to the state for repair costs.

The Skagit River bridge collapse remains a textbook case of how a minor regulatory oversight can lead to major infrastructure failure—yet also demonstrates the resilience of emergency response and engineering recovery in the modern era.