Broken part closes bridge

SEATTLE – The Evergreen Point Floating Bridge across Lake Washington was closed at evening rush hour Wednesday after a damaged part was found in its drawspan during heavy wind and waves.

The bridge closed shortly after 5 p.m. and was expected to remain closed through the night while repairs were made to a damaged beam, the state Department of Transportation said.

It wasn’t immediately known whether the 520 bridge damage was caused by the high winds that arrived Wednesday as a powerful Pacific storm blew into the state.

Traffic on Interstate 90 across the Cascades was periodically restricted at Snoqualmie Pass to make room for snow plows to keep the highway open.

As much as 2 feet of snow was forecast through the night in the Cascades.

Western Washington also had rain and heavy winds. The Whidbey Island Naval Air Station reported winds of 41 mph with gusts to 51 mph Wednesday evening, while in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, winds of 53 mph with gusts to 71 mph were recorded at Rece Rocks, just south of Victoria, B.C.