SEQUIM — State Department of Transportation officials Wednesday unveiled detailed plans for a wider, stronger Hood Canal Bridge.
Traffic flow across the bridge could be affected as early as next year when preliminary work on the $205 million renovation project begins in April 2003.
The eastern portion of the bridge will be replaced during an eight-week closure in 2006.New approach spans and widening of road shoulders from three feet to eight feet for a pedestrian/bike lane on the bridge are some of the key improvements planned.
“There are a lot of bicyclists who will be able to the use the bridge,” Transportation Project Engineer Amity Trowbridge said. “It will also be for disabled vehicles. It will help with traffic flow.
“It’s something we actually had to go back and ask for additional funding for. But we felt very strongly about it.”
Work on the east and west approach spans to the floating bridge will begin next April — the work is only expected to affect traffic during two three-day weekend closures in 2005.
But work to widen road shoulders could mean one-lane traffic during the summers of 2003 and 2004.
One-lane traffic would occur from 10 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., said Patrick Clarke, Transportation’s floating bridge and special structure design manager.
Bids are expected to go out on the Hood Canal project in December, Clarke said.
Clarke gave the more than 50 people who showed up at the meeting Wednesday a lesson in engineering, describing in detail how the eastern portion of the bridge will be constructed and floated into place.
A second meeting will be held today from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Chimacum School District multipurpose room, 91 W. Valley Road. Bridge engineer Clarke’s presentation is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.
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