Date:  Friday, May 15, 2009

Contact: Joe Irwin, WSDOT Communications, 360-507-521
             Jamie Swift, WSDOT Communications, 360-507-4261

Second east-half pontoon scheduled for installation early on Saturday, May 17

SHINE – WSDOT completed half of its heavy lifting for the SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge Project today, setting the 1.6-million pound west truss in place and connecting the Jefferson County approach spans with the west pontoons.

Three derrick barges – including the largest one on the West Coast – hoisted the 280-foot-long, 70-foot-wide, 40-foot-tall truss off a nearby barge and moved it into place. The operation is scheduled to be repeated Monday, May 18 for the east truss placement.

“The west truss placement went very well and marks a significant accomplishment for our crews,” principal engineer Dave Ziegler said of setting the enormous trusses. “This work is unique to our project – these are the only trusses of their kind in the state.”

The new trusses have a tubular design that is modeled after offshore oil rigs and will better handle the Hood Canal’s harsh marine environment. The trusses are 30-feet wider than old roadway and are designed to match the approach spans at the Hood Canal Bridge, which were expanded in 2005. The wider construction not only improves the overall safety of the bridge today, but it also allows WSDOT to double capacity from two to four lanes in the future without having to build new trusses.

With the west truss in place, operations at the bridge site will shift back to east-half replacement work Saturday, May 16 when the 900-foot-long RST pontoon is scheduled to be installed. The recently retrofitted pontoon section was once part of the west half. It was removed and stored in Port Gamble Bay when the west-half draw span assembly was installed early 1980s.

“RS and T will be leaving Port Gamble Bay for the last time,” said Ziegler. “They’ve been kept there off and on for the past 25 years or so, and retrofitting and reusing them for this project saved us time and money.”

The six-week closure will be challenging for travelers. WSDOT encourages people to review their transportation options to determine the best route. “Get around” options include crossing the canal on a water shuttle; free transit-connecting-bus services and park and ride lots; taking the Port Townsend/Edmonds evening ferry or the Port Townsend/Keystone ferry; flying from Port Angeles to Seattle; driving around on alternate routes; or utilizing private boat services. Get more information about transportation options, including water shuttle and transit schedules, at http://www.hoodcanalbridge.com/ or by calling 1-877-595-4222.

See the latest project photos at Flickr or read about construction updates on the Hood Canal Bridge blog. The Hood Canal Bridge retrofit and replacement – which is now 93 percent complete – will improve the existing east half, making it wider, safer and more reliable.

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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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