By WSDOT
Change in plans:No long weekend closures required for SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge repairs. New schedule brings weeknight and weekend nighttime bridge closures in May, June and September.
SHINE – There is good news to share for the 18,000 daily travelers who use the State Route 104 Hood Canal Bridge: Repairs to the floating bridge linking Jefferson and Kitsap counties will no longer require closing the bridge for four weekends during peak summer travel season.
Instead, the repair work to the bridge and subsequent closures will occur at night in May, June and September.
“The new dates strike the best balance between securing critical materials needed to make repairs to the bridge and installing those materials during calm weather when traffic volumes are lower,” said Assistant Region Administrator of Construction MaryLou Shannon.
Schedule
Weather permitting, the SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge will close in May and June at night for the following durations:
May 13 to May 17
10 p.m. Saturday, May 13, to 10 a.m. Sunday, May 14
11 p.m. Monday, May 15, to 4 a.m. Tuesday, May 16
11 p.m. Tuesday, May 16, to 4 a.m. Wednesday, May 17
11 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, to 4 a.m. Thursday, May 18
May 20 to May 24
10 p.m. Saturday, May 20, to 10 a.m. Sunday, May 21
11 p.m. Monday, May 22, to 4 a.m. Tuesday, May 23
11 p.m. Tuesday, May 23, to 4 a.m. Wednesday, May 24
11 p.m. Wednesday, May 24, to 4 a.m. Thursday, May 25
June 10 to June 14
10 p.m. Saturday, June 10, to 10 a.m. Sunday, June 11
11 p.m. Monday, June 12, to 4 a.m. Tuesday, June 13
11 p.m. Tuesday, June 13, to 4 a.m. Wednesday, June 14
11 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, to 4 a.m. Thursday, June 15
June 17 to June 21
10 p.m. Saturday, June 17, to 10 a.m. Sunday, June 18
11 p.m. Monday, June 19, to 4 a.m. Tuesday, June 20
11 p.m. Tuesday, June 20, to 4 a.m. Wednesday, June 21
11 p.m. Wednesday, June 21, to 4 a.m. Thursday, June 22
May and June schedule
Instead of four long-term weekend closures of the bridge, WSDOT made the decision to separate the work into the three phases. While this will result in more overnight closures of the bridge, it also allows the contractor to begin making the repairs in late spring and early summer—when weather conditions are typically more favorable—and keeps the closure hours more manageable for residents and visitors alike.
The work in May and June will focus on restoring the pyramids on the bridge that help guide the two halves of the bridge together. The repairs will require the use of boats and cranes in the water with the draw span open. Emergency-response access across the bridge will not be available during the overnight closures in May and June.
September schedule
In September, workers will update the mechanism that securely connects both halves of the bridge and install new shock absorbers. Work on these weather-sensitive systems won’t begin until Monday, Sept. 10, and may include both weekday and weekend nighttime closures. WSDOT will announce the dates and times for this work later this summer.
Why this work is needed
The bridge sits in a salty, corrosive environment and needs continual maintenance and construction. Crews working for WSDOT are refurbishing critical elements at the center of the bridge. The project is necessary to ensure the bridge can continue to operate, serving both vehicle and marine traffic.
This work requires calm weather, so dates are subject to change. WSDOT will announce the final closure dates when they are scheduled via Hood Canal Bridge status webpage. Travelers can get information about the Hood Canal Bridge via WSDOT email alerts, the WSDOT app and blog, and on the statewide travel map and WSDOT regional Twitter feed.
Article Submitted by:
Beth Pratt, Executive Director
Sequim-Dungeness Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center
https://www.sequimchamber.com/