Date:  Thursday, July 29, 2010

Contact:

Jeff Cook, Project Engineer, 360-874-3000
WSDOT Communications, 360-357-2789

Up to four-month closure planned during construction

BREMERTON – Residents and motorists bid farewell to an iconic south Kitsap structure and welcome improved access between Manette and Bremerton. WSDOT and contractor Manson and Mowat replace the aging Manette Bridge during a year-and-half-long project that starts next week.

The existing bridge is 80 years old and, while still safe to cross, is showing its age. In addition to extensive rust – which is up to one-inch thick in places – the structure’s concrete footings are being corroded by the saltwater of the Port Washington Narrows.

“There is a chemical reaction taking place between the saltwater, the concrete and the rebar in the footings,” said project engineer Jeff Cook, explaining that a weight restriction was placed on the structure to extend its service life. “This chemical process is irreversible and repair is not feasible. As a result, we can’t retrofit the bridge; replacement is our only viable option.”

Construction to build work platforms begins Monday, Aug. 2. Construction of the new bridge is scheduled to conclude in early-2012. It will improve travel across the Port Washington Narrows by adding shoulders, widening the pedestrian walkway, and constructing a new roundabout in Manette. The project also expands the nearby Whitey Domstad Park.

“One of the primary goals of this project, aside from improving transportation between the two communities, is to reduce impacts to residents and businesses,” said Regional Administrator Kevin Dayton. “We will keep the old bridge open as much as possible during construction to help keep traffic moving.”

A number of road closures are anticipated during construction, including a four-month closure of the old Manette Bridge in summer 2011. Prior to the extended closure, travelers and residents will be notified in advance about 26 separate closures of the old bridge that will be up to 24 hours long, and pedestrians can expect sporadic delays of up to 15 minutes.

The four-month closure allows crews to make final connections between the new bridge and a reconfigured roadway in Manette. Once the new bridge opens, derrick barges will be used to dismantle the old structure.

To learn more about this $57.8 million project, get updates and see photos of the work, visit: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr303/manettebridgereplacement/.

To learn about traffic impacts due to maintenance or construction activities, visit: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/Olympic/Construction/.

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