Pullman to Reset Pine Street Pedestrian Bridge

The city has hired a contractor to secure the downtown bridge after it was dislodged by flooding in March 2026.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Safety

Pullman to Reset Pine Street Pedestrian Bridge

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Should your city invest in expensive infrastructure retrofits to prevent recurring damage from flooding?

Pullman officials plan to reset the Pine Street Pedestrian Bridge, which became dislodged from its abutments during record-breaking flooding in March 2026. This project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

Why it matters

The bridge is a key downtown connection that sits on the north bank of the South Fork of the Palouse River. While the structure is designed to float during high water, recent flood conditions have necessitated recurring maintenance to restore its positioning.

The city has allocated $150,000 to reset the bridge, while proposed long-term retrofits are estimated between $400,000 and $700,000. It remains unknown if the city council will approve the full retrofit budget.

The players

Pullman City Council

The legislative body responsible for the city's governance and the oversight of public infrastructure projects in Pullman.

The details

The Pine Street Pedestrian Bridge, installed in 2005, features a design intended to float off its abutments during flooding events. However, the March 2026 flood reached levels not seen in Pullman since 1997, causing the structure to displace for the second time in two years.

1997: Year of the previous highest flood level.
2005: Year the Pine Street Pedestrian Bridge was installed.
February 2025: Date the bridge was previously dislodged by floodwaters.
August 2025: Time when crews completed a previous reset of the bridge.
March 2026: Date the bridge became dislodged during record flood conditions.

Seasonal Patterns

The record flood levels of March 2026 surpassed benchmarks set by the 1997 South Fork of the Palouse River flood. This event marks a return to extreme hydrological conditions that challenge the design limits of city riverbank infrastructure.

Residents should remain aware of potential path closures in downtown Pullman as bridge repair work continues through the end of the year. Please monitor official city announcements for updates on when the bridge will be fully operational for pedestrian traffic.

The takeaway

Maintaining specialized infrastructure like floating bridges requires significant investment to handle increasingly volatile flood conditions. Residents should prioritize using alternate routes while the city finalizes permanent solutions for the bridge footings.

What happens next

The Pullman City Council is scheduled to receive and review a detailed report regarding the bridge status and potential retrofits during a study session this coming Tuesday.