SHINE — It’s open!
The North Olympic Peninsula’s main link to the Puget Sound area opened between 10 p.m. and midnight Saturday, more than a day ahead of schedule.
It took only 50 hours for workers to roll off the 190-foot approach span on the Jefferson County side of the bridge and replace it with a wider concrete roadbed.
Department of Transportation officials closed the bridge 8 p.m. Thursday, anticipating an 80-hour closure.
They hoped the 80 hours would allow enough time for construction emergencies.
But none happened.
Project engineers estimated that the entire operation could be completed in 50 hours if everything went smoothly.
And it did.
“It went very well — right the way we scheduled it, right about to the last minute,” said General Superintendent Larry Fuller of Poulsbo-based Kiewit-General Construction Co.
“It was pretty uneventful,” said foreman Chad Garter, who was happy as his shift approached its end on Saturday night.
“It went well.”
