Date:
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Contact:
Joe Irwin, Hood Canal Bridge Communications, (253) 305-6412
Theresa Gren, Hood Canal Bridge Communications, (253) 305-6428
OLYMPIC REGION -- The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is officially on the bus in terms of helping the residents of Jefferson, Kitsap and Clallam counties access improved mass transit options when the Hood Canal Bridge is closed for retrofitting and replacement work in May and June 2009. WSDOT inked an agreement with the transit agencies in late 2007, solidifying its commitment to reducing traffic on State Route 104 and US 101 during the six-week project and improving viable travel alternatives.
The transit agreements will complement a temporary water shuttle service across the Hood Canal, which will transport residents between South Point Landing in Jefferson County and Port Gamble in Kitsap County.
"Without the transit agreements the water shuttle would not work," said Eric Strauch, Hood Canal Bridge Project Closure Mitigation Design Team Leader.
Transit authorities agree.
"It's a big deal," said Jefferson Transit General Manager Dave Turissini. "We're isolated out here and we’ll be even more isolated when this (project) goes through."
To reduce this isolation and accommodate the expected 50 percent increase in ridership, Turissini said Jefferson Transit is hiring 15 temporary drivers and various personnel to help during the closure. The end result, he said, will be more people relying on buses.
"It's definitely going to help people get out of their cars," Turissini said.
Clallam Transit General Manager Terry Weed said the agreement represents a positive step toward assisting area residents in traveling from the greater Port Angeles area to South Point.
"We feel it’s a viable service for the community," he said. "We're planning to be a part of it as much as we're needed to help out."
The cooperative agreements with the transit agencies are significant in that WSDOT can now focus on other aspects of the plan aimed at reducing the project's impact on area residents.
"The agreements are a major component of closure mitigation," Strauch said. "Now that they are complete, it allows us more time to work on fine-tuning our coordination with emergency services, WSDOT maintenance and the Washington State Patrol."
To learn more about the mitigation plan for the six-week May-June 2009 closure or other details of the Hood Canal Bridge Project, visit http://www.hoodcanalbridge.com/.
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