T-Shirts Poke Fun At Bridge Collapse

An I-5 bridge collapsed into the Skagit River last week after a truck hit an overhead support beam. Once it was clear that no one was seriously injured, a local t-shirt company decided to have a little fun. Slow Loris Shirts founder Jessica Lynch says she laughed when she heard the state got a C- grade on its bridges.

“I’m like, heck, let’s slap a C- on top of our bridge truss shirt. We can print them to order.” She did just that, and had them for sale less than 24 hours after the accident.

She'd already been selling a bridge shirt for years. She says she drew it because she just loves bridges and enjoyed seeing them all around the Skagit River. When the bridge collapsed, she figured she’d make the new shirt with the C- on it for the 10 or so people who might ask for them. But no way — the company has already gotten more than 200 requests.

Lynch says a few people have accused her of cashing in on a tragedy but she says she just wanted her neighbors to have a chuckle. She lives on Guemes Island about 20 miles from the bridge collapse, and she knows the traffic detouring around it is a real disruption as it brings all those cars and trucks through nearby towns.

“It affects all of us who live here and just want to go to Costco. It’s a big deal having all these people drive through. It was an idea to put a smile on our faces when we’re sitting in a traffic jam.”

Will she be comfortable driving over the temporary fix? Lynch jokes, “We’ll have to see what grade that one gets!”