Date:  Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Contact: Joe Irwin, Hood Canal Bridge Communications, 253-305-6412
             Becky Hixson, Hood Canal Bridge Communications, 253-305-6450

SHINE – WSDOT has contracted with Victoria Express for water shuttle service that WSDOT’s Ferries Division crews will operate between South Point and Lofall when the Hood Canal Bridge closes for six weeks.

The public service begins May 1. The free water shuttle will depart the docks in Lofall and South Point every half hour between 4 a.m. and 11 p.m. during the six-week bridge closure. The 149-passenger vessels will have the capability to transport more than 11,000 people daily.

“The reliable movement of people and goods is critical to our economy, especially in an area so dependent on the Hood Canal Bridge,” said Paula Hammond, Secretary of Transportation. “The water shuttle service will serve a dual role during the closure. It will address a major need by providing people a quick, reliable way to access the Olympic Peninsula, and it will help reduce traffic on US 101.”

Kitsap, Jefferson and Clallam transit will offer connecting services, transporting travelers from the docks at Lofall and South Point to corresponding park and ride lots in Port Gamble and Shine Pit, as well as communities throughout the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas.

“Dovetailing the water shuttle and transit services like this saves people time and money that they would have spent driving around on US 101,” Hammond said. “The combined services provide travelers another option in getting to and from the Olympic Peninsula during the closure.”

The Port Angeles-based Victoria Express vessels will begin practice runs between water shuttle docks in late-April.

The closure will be a challenging time for travelers. WSDOT is encouraging people to get ready now, reviewing their transportation options to determine the most viable option.

The Hood Canal Bridge retrofit and replacement project is 87 percent complete and will improve the existing east half, making it wider, safer and more reliable. For more information, visit http://www.hoodcanalbridge.com/.

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