November 2004
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FORMAT CHANGES
The Hood Canal Bridge News, the monthly project update, is now published in an e-mail friendly format. Please continue to share this information with your friends, family, co-workers or customers. If you have questions or if you want to subscribe to receive the newsletter via e-mail, contact Lloyd Brown, communication manager, (360) 357-2789.
GRAVING DOCK PROGRESS CONTINUES
Port Angeles graving dock facility construction continues in November, even as the Washington State Department of Transportation and Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe work to define how much archaeology remains at the site. Five agencies - WSDOT, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Federal Highways Administration, US Army Corps of Engineers and the State Historic Preservation Office - signed a memorandum of agreement in April that included a "site treatment plan." That site treatment plan defines the extent of archaeological recovery that would be completed at the 22-acre site. In the site treatment plan, WSDOT agreed to recover all human remains uncovered during the construction process. Last month, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe officials asked that WSDOT excavate additional areas of the site that are not expected to be disturbed during construction to find additional burials.
Both WSDOT and Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe officials are working through a dispute resolution process outlined in the memorandum of agreement that involves requesting a ruling from the FHWA division administrator. Once the FHWA opinion is issued, either side can appeal. At that point, the FHWA division administrator will seek the opinion of a national archaeology panel before issuing a final ruling.
In the meantime, both construction and archaeology crews are on-site. The construction crews are driving additional sheet piling that will allow for the installation of de-watering wells, which in turn will assist with the archaeological recovery effort. In an effort to increase the amount of material screened for human remains, a mechanical screening operation was installed at the site. The machine sorts different sized material onto three conveyor belts that are then hand sorted.
BUDGET, SCHEDULE ... WHAT'S THE WORD?
WSDOT posts a monthly project status report on-line at www.hoodcanalbridge.com. The status report, found in the "Project News" section, includes information about budget expenditures, construction progress and schedules and activities planned in the month ahead.
BRIDGE SITE: BRING ON WINTER
Motorists using the SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge should find crossing the floating span easier in the coming weeks as temporary safety barrier is removed. Crews are nearly finished installing safety cables, called "philly strand", and lighting on the newly widened west-half. Crews worked on the bridge all summer widening the bridge deck, repairing under-the-deck girders, and making preparations for a leak detection system in west-half pontoons. While winter forces work off the bridge structure, construction of temporary work platforms at both bridge ends will continue until January. The temporary platforms will be used to build new approach spans next to the existing approaches - shortening the time that the bridge will be closed from more than two years to just eight weeks.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Hood Canal Bridge was Washington's last toll bridge. Motorists began paying to cross the bridge when it opened in 1962. The initial toll was $1.30 per car and 30-cents per passenger. By 1983, the toll was $2. The tolls were removed in 1985. WSDOT's next toll bridge, the second Tacoma Narrows Bridge, will open to traffic - and a $3 eastbound-only toll - in early 2007. More on the Hood Canal Bridge's history can be found on-line at www.hoodcanalbridge.com.
SPEAKERS AVAILABLE
Looking for an interesting speaker for your club or organization? Contact the WSDOT communication office at (360) 357-2789 to schedule a Hood Canal Bridge presentation.
MAKING THE DRIVE
Construction updates are available on-line at http://www.hoodcanalbridge.comand at www.wsdot.wa.gov/regions/olympic/construction or by calling 1-800-695-ROAD (7623). Weather and roadway conditions are available on-line at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic.
Hood Canal Bridge News is prepared monthly by the Washington State Department of Transportation as a service to those interested in the SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge retrofit and replacement project. If you have any comments on Hood Canal Bridge News or would like more information contact Lloyd Brown, communication manager, at (360) 357-2789 or via E-mail: brownl@wsdot.wa.gov.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information: Persons with disabilities may request this information be prepared and supplied in alternate formats by calling the Washington State Department of Transportation ADA Accommodation Hotline collect (206) 389-2839. Persons with hearing impairments may access Washington State Telecommunications Relay Service at TTY 1-800-833-6388, Tele-Braille 1-800-833-6385, Voice 1-800-833-6384, and ask to be connected to (360) 705-7097.