THURSDAY MORNING UPDATE:
The Lofall-South Point water shuttles across Hood Canal are expected to be in service today (May 7).
But if the wind again kicks up and the seas become unsafe, service will be delayed or canceled.
Commuters can learn the status of water shuttle service by phoning 5-1-1 or 877-595-4222 or by visiting www.hoodcanalbridge.com.
SHINE — State Department of Transportation officials posted a weather warning for Wednesday afternoon and evening on Hood Canal, but as the day waned, and the winds didn’t rise, cross-canal ferry service remained uninterrupted.
“The winds could still hit,” said Jamie Swift, Transportation spokesman, at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.
“There’s still time for the forecasters to be right.”
But, as of that time, “we’re still running,” he said.
Wind gusts were forecast for Wednesday afternoon, with the heaviest gusts between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Transportation officials had warned commuters to watch for updates.
Many commuters between Lofall and South Point were left without transportation to work or home from work on Tuesday, when high winds and heavy seas prevented the Port Angeles-based Victoria Express ferry from shuttling people across the canal all day until 9 p.m.
Rainfall heavy
Although the wind was light, rainfall was heavy Wednesday.
That affected work done on the Hood Canal Bridge, which was closed Friday for an estimated six weeks while the eastern half is replaced.
Workers siphoned off about 60,000 gallons of flood water from the Port Gamble Park and Ride into tanker trucks that hauled it away for proper disposal.
“This was a tough day to work, so they spent a lot of time securing the joints,” Swift said.
Workers on Wednesday were saw-cutting the old 928-foot draw span, known as “the bulge,” and securing it to float out once weather allows.
The bridge’s east truss was lifted and towed out on Monday and workers have beenstaging for removal of the west truss later this week.
The bridge’s floating draw span that connected to the bulge was removed last Friday and floated north to Canada, where a Victoria developer is refurbishing it for future marine uses.
Review options
Transportation officials encourage cross-canal commuters to review their transportation options to determine the best route, especially during windy weather.
Additional get-around options include taking the Port Townsend-Edmonds evening ferry or the Port Townsend/Keystone ferry and Clinton-Mukilteo ferry, flying on a private service, driving such alternate routes as U.S. Highway 101 to Highway 3 or using private boat services.
“With the six-week closure of the bridge and bad weather, it’s been a rough couple of days for those who need to cross the canal,” Dave Ziegler, Hood Canal Bridge project principal engineer, said in a statement.
“The decisions we’re making are based on keeping the traveling public safe. That’s our top priority.”
