OLYMPIA — Gov. Christine Gregoire has officially asked for a review and report on events surrounding the December cancellation of the Hood Canal Bridge graving yard project.
That includes more “group dialogue” at a community meeting in Port Angeles, continued updates on efforts to try to find an alternative graving yard site in the “greater Port Angeles area,” and a review of “how and why the [pre-construction] archaeological assessment failed to identify the scope and magnitude” of the 2,700-year-old Klallam village that once inhabited the site.
The governor sought neither a task force nor an independent investigation of the Washington state Department of Transportation’s spending of $58.8 million on the project, then abandoning it before building any replacement sections for the floating bridge.
Gregoire’s letter, dated Friday and made available to Peninsula Daily News on Monday, asked Transportation Secretary Doug MacDonald and Transportation Commission Chairman Dan Stedman to hold the meeting in Port Angeles.
It would be similar to one that gathered parties to the controversy in Olympia last week.
MacDonald in turn scheduled such a gathering for this coming Monday.
Peninsula location
Gregoire reiterated her hope that a location can be found on the North Olympic Peninsula to ease the economic impact of the original project’s failure.
“She certainly feels their (Port Angeles residents’) disappointment at the shutdown of what was intended to be an economic boon to the community,” said her spokesman, Jerry Gilliland, on Monday.
“She’d like to see the new site be there.”
Of 18 proposals submitted for DOT consideration, seven sites — four in Clallam County and three in Jefferson County — are on the North Olympic Peninsula.
As for Gregoire’s request for a report on archaeological issues, MacDonald said Monday he will assemble a “narrative of decisions” about the Marine Drive site, based on an outline presentation given to the Port Angeles City Council in December.
Gilliland said expectations were unfounded that Gregoire would call for a task force to investigate the graving yard failure.
“That wasn’t what she was saying,” he said.
“She has requested them to do an investigation, yes, and to involve the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.”
Bridge emphasized
Gregoire’s letter closed by saying:
“We must not jeopardize the time frames for conducting the much-needed maintenance activities on the Hood Canal Bridge.
“This project must move forward in a timely manner. Failure to do so exposes the community to a great economic hardship.”
Said Gilliland: “Her emphasis is on finding out what happened, but more importantly to get the Hood Canal Bridge completed.”
The 44-year-old east half was originally scheduled for replacement next year, then was advanced to 2007 after Klallam remains and artifacts first shut down the project shortly after it began in August 2003.
Because the Port Angeles project was canceled last Dec. 21, the bridge replacement has been postponed until probably 2009.
No stronger investigation
A more aggressive investigation of errors in the graving yard project never was in Gregoire’s authority to order, Gilliland said.
“The Transportation Commission is an independent board appointed by the governor,” he said, “and all its members were appointed by other governors.
“She can’t appoint a new commission to hire a new director.”
