Date:  Friday, February 27, 2009

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

TACOMA – With the big six-week closure of the SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge looming, WSDOT is stepping up its effort to share information about the project.

Last month, the WSDOT launched a SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge blog, http://hoodcanalbridge.blogspot.com/, offering the public an additional opportunity to chime in on everything from getting ready for the six-week May to June closure and the water shuttle plan; to traffic on US 101 and construction progress.

“The blog provides people with another viable forum for voicing their ideas and getting their questions answered,” said David Ziegler, principal engineer for the project. “We hope this will help us reach an even broader audience and help residents better prepare for the unique transportation challenge that lies ahead.”

The blog will continue throughout the six-week closure, giving the public a go-to place to share their success stories and frustrations. In turn, the ongoing conversation will provide WSDOT additional insight into the needs of the communities and the ability to adjust the closure transportation system when possible during the six-week period.

To help spread the word, WSDOT is encouraging its community partners on the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas to link their Web sites to the Hood Canal Bridge Project blog. Travelers, businesses and residents should plan on visiting the blog regularly as informative and interesting project-related topics will be updated weekly.

The Hood Canal Bridge Retrofit and Replacement Project – which is 89 percent complete – will take place from May-June 2009 and improve the existing structure, making it wider, safer and more reliable. For more information about the project, and to find out about travel options during the six-week bridge closure, visit http://www.hoodcanalbridge.com/.

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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 5-1-1.

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