PORT ANGELES — Let the countdown begin.
Clallam County officials are making final preparations for Friday’s grand opening of the new and improved Elwha River bridge. The ceremony begins at 1 p.m.
Local and state dignitaries, including state Rep. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam — who represents the 24th District, which covers Clallam, Jefferson and part of Grays Harbor counties — will dedicate the $19.7 million, double-deck bridge west of Port Angeles.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on the on east approach to the pedestrian deck. From that vantage point, onlookers will see modern and vintage log trucks, restored World War II era Jeeps and Clallam County vehicles crossing the bridge from both directions in a present-meets-the-past parade on the 85-foot-high automobile deck.
Dignitaries will cut a special cedar bark ribbon fashioned by the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe, and the public will be allowed to cross the bridge on the 14-foot-wide pedestrian deck.
The foot path is suspended above the Elwha River and surrounding forest by cables that hang from the 28-foot-wide automobile deck.
The pedestrian path becomes part of the Olympic Discovery Trail, which someday will connect Port Townsend and LaPush.
Since parking for the grand opening will be limited, county officials are encouraging car pools.
To get there
To get to the ceremony, take Laird Road to Elwha River Road and turn left onto Crown Z Water Road. Flaggers and road signs will point the way.
Shuttles will be available to carry citizens to the bridge from overflow parking along Lower Elwha Road.
County officials ask that dogs be kept off the path for the opening ceremony.
Clallam County Public Works Director Craig Jacobs has been busy this week organizing the opening ceremony.
Jacobs is anxious to dedicate the largest bridge project in the history of Clallam County outside of Port Angeles.
“On Friday at 5 [p.m.], I’ll feel a lot better,” said Jacobs, who will serve as master of ceremonies.
“Right now, it’s kind of overwhelming, just getting everything wrapped up and getting this thing put together.”
Jacobs said it’s taken years to get to this point. The project, which was kicked into high gear by the catastrophic collapse of the Interstate 35W span in Minneapolis in 2007, was funded through state, federal and Lower Elwha Klallam tribal dollars.
Ready for use
“We are anxious to get people on it and to get traffic using it,” Jacobs said.
The public works staff gets a sense of satisfaction anytime they finish a project because they’re building something the public can use, Jacobs said.
The new Elwha River bridge replaces the creaky one-lane Elwha River bridge that was decommissioned in 2007.
It had spanned the river just upstream from the Lower Elwha reservation since 1913.
Representatives from the Lower Elwha tribe will join Kessler and the other dignitaries at the dedication ceremony.
Clallam County commissioners Mike Doherty, Steve Tharinger and Mike Chapman will be on hand.
Also on the list are representatives of Berger ABAM, which designed the bridge, Parsons RCI, the contractor, the state Recreation and Conservation Office and the state Department of Transportation.
The old Elwha River bridge was critical for moving military supplies to Camp Hayden during World War II and timber for much of the 20th century.
The older vehicles in the parade will represent the commerce of the past, Jacobs said.. They will cross the bridge from the west.
Newer vehicles crossing the bridge from the east will represent commerce of today.
“That’s the idea of the parade,” Jacobs said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
