Date:  Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Contact:
Jeff, Cook, WSDOT Project Engineer, 360-874-3010
WSDOT Communications, 360-357-2789

MANETTE – Bremerton-area motorists face a gamut of road closures next week as annual inspections get under way on the existing Manette Bridge. Crews are replacing the bridge and constructing new railings on the nearby Warren Avenue Bridge.

Inspection-related closures on the Manette Bridge are scheduled daily from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 1, through Wednesday, Nov. 3.

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) closes the Manette Bridge from 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3, to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, to pour new concrete. Signs will detour traffic about one mile northwest to the Warren Avenue Bridge. Pedestrians and bicyclists can cross the Manette Bridge unrestricted during the work.

Drivers should also plan for possible delays crossing the Warren Avenue Bridge. One lane in each direction on the four-lane bridge closes nightly Sunday, Oct. 31, to Thursday, Nov. 4, so crews can install new railing. During the work, one northbound lane closes from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. and one southbound lane closes from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

During the inspections, WSDOT’s Bridge Preservation Office will use trucks with special extending buckets to allow inspectors to see underneath the structure. Similar inspections led to a weight restriction on the bridge in March 2008. That restriction extends the bridge’s usable life until the new bridge is constructed.

“These inspections are extremely important to make sure this aging bridge remains safe while we build a new bridge in Manette,” said Kevin Dayton, WSDOT region administrator. “Working the inspections around the construction schedule helps keep us on time and budget.”

The $57.8 million Manette Bridge Replacement Project began in August, and is scheduled to be completed in late 2011. For more information, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr303/manettebridgereplacement/.

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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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