PORT TOWNSEND — Port officials got what they came for Monday when a new Democratic majority of Jefferson County commissioners endorsed a proposal to bring the state Hood Canal Bridge graving yard project to Port Townsend.
With Democrats David Sullivan of Cape George and Phil Johnson of Port Townsend taking their seats alongside lone Republican Commissioner Pat Rodgers of Brinnon for the first time, support for the graving yard proposal was unanimous.
County Administrator John Fischbach was directed to send a letter stating the county commissioners’ support to Port Executive Director Larry Crockett, who briefed the commissioners on the Port’s proposal.
The Port Townsend City Council also endorsed the project Monday night.
“Whatever combination works, we’ll make it work,” Crockett said, explaining how a public-private partnership between the Port and Port Townsend Paper Corp. could situate the graving yard project on Port or mill land, or both.
State Department of Transportation officials, about 18 months behind schedule on building components for the Hood Canal Bridge’s east-half replacement project, are now willing to split up graving yard sites, if necessary.
With recent news of the state abandoning the Port Angeles graving yard project, Port executives are putting together a proposal for Transportation to locate the graving yard on about 18 acres adjacent to the Port’s Boat Haven marina and boat yard.
That site is basically inside the old railroad trestle along the shoreline to the Boat Haven marina.
Port and mill representatives also propose all or part of the graving yard site on about 25.5 acres next to the Port Townsend Paper mill.
