SHINE — The last 20 new anchor connections for the east side of the Hood Canal Bridge were completed this week.
Until Tuesday, some of the bridge’s new pontoons had been linked to the older, existing anchors by older anchor cables, the state Department of Transportation said in a prepared statement.
Contractor Kiewit-General of Poulsbo began work to connect the new anchors and anchor cables after the east half of the bridge was replaced in June.
“The anchors and anchor cables are to a floating bridge what foundations are to a skyscraper,” said Dave Ziegler, principal engineer for the project, in the statement.
“Connecting the new east-half pontoons to these anchors is vital to ensuring the new bridge has the support it needs to handle everything from tidal fluctuations and adverse weather to seismic events.”
The work means the bridge has enough stability to weather upcoming winter storms, Ziegler said.
Divers and remotely operated vehicles were used in running the anchor cables from the pontoons through U-shaped pipes in the 1,000-ton anchors and back up to the pontoons to complete the connections.
The 3-inch-thick steel cables range from approximately a quarter-mile to 1 mile in length.
Jersey barriers on the east side of the bridge, which reduced the width of westbound shoulders in some areas, were put into place during the construction.
Those barriers are scheduled to be removed next week.
The Hood Canal Bridge’s east half and east and west trusses were replaced by June 3, but the project is scheduled to continue through December as crews complete electrical, hydraulic and mechanical upgrades and make final adjustments.
For more information, see www.HoodCanalBridge.com.
