PORT ANGELES — A new chapter in Clallam County history has been launched with a sun-splashed dedication ceremony for the $19.7 million Elwha River bridge.
The eye-catching, double-deck span includes a pedestrian path — part of the Olympic Discovery Trail — that hangs beneath an 85-foot-high automobile deck.
The modern bridge replaces the one-lane Warren-truss-type steel bridge that served the region from 1914 to 2007.
The bridge “makes you believe in the spirit of our communities,” said Rep. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, during an hour-long dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony on the east approach to the pedestrian deck Friday.
“Let’s all enjoy walking across that bridge,” she added.
Nearly 200 spectators marveled at the 589-foot-list span as they listened to remarks from Kessler and other dignitaries such as Clallam County commissioners, Lower Elwha Klallam tribal leaders, bridge designers and builders.
Craig Jacobs, the county’s longtime public works director, served as master of ceremonies for the dedication.
The bridge along the Elwha River road connects the Lower Elwha reservation to tribal jurisdictions on the west side of the river.
It saves county residents the extra trip to cross the river on state Highway 112.
Tribal blessing
A tribal blessing and gathering song kicked off the dedication ceremony. Community partnership was the underlying theme.
“This is a great opportunity for us — for our youth, for our elders, for our community,” tribal chairwoman Frances Charles said.
“There’s so much history in this place,” elder Ben Charles said, referring to the Lower Elwha Klallam ancestors who lived in the area for hundreds of years.
“They’re rejoicing with us.”
Rich James, Clallam County’s transportation program manager and a key player in the development of the Olympic Discovery Trail, laid out a timeline of the major funding challenges.
The old bridge was decommissioned on Aug. 2, 2007 — one day after the catastrophic collapse of Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis.
Planning for the new Elwha River bridge began much earlier in 1997, when the county held a series of open houses on future plans of the aging steel bridge.
The biggest chunk of money of the money for the new bridge came from the state Department of Transportation — a $10.5 million allotment — in 2007.
Parsons RCI, a large and well-respected contractor, had submitted a low bid of $16.4 million for the project.
Funding, praise
To make up the difference, Kessler, state Rep. Kevin Van de Wege, D-Sequim, and state Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, lobbied hard to secure an additional $2 million in state funds.
“You are the first set of heroes we’d like to recognize,” James said of the delegation of the state’s 24th District, which includes Clallam and Jefferson counties and most of Grays Harbor county.
The National Park Service contributed $1.8 million to the Elwha River restoration project.
The Lower Elwha tribe secured $1.5 million from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Another million came from the state Recreation and Conservation Office, which has funded several segments of the Olympic Discovery Trail. The trail will one day connect Puget Sound to the Pacific Ocean from Port Townsend to LaPush.
U.S. Sens. Patty Murray, D-Freeland, Maria Cantwell, D-Mountlake Terrace, and U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair — 6th District congressman — secured another $600,000 in federal dollars for the bridge.
Clallam County covered the rest through its road fund.
Jacobs thanked the three county commissioners — Mike Doherty, Steve Tharinger and Mike Chapman — for their “key leadership, timely decisions and support of this project.”
“It happened because of your county commissioners,” Kessler added.
“I have to tell you, they went overboard to secure funding for this. They dogged every dollar. They dogged this thing until they got it done.”
Doherty praised the work of county employees who worked on the bridge — such as associate engineer Joe Donisi.
“Four-hundred and fifty days of his life went into this thing,” Doherty said.
Parsons Construction had 48 employees and 167 subcontractors, who worked a combined 85,000 hours, on the job.
‘Remarkable’ design
Bob Fernandes, vice president of bridge designer Berger/ABAM Engineers, called the span a “remarkable structure.”
The bridge is supported by four sets of concrete piers, each of which is 10 feet in diameter.
Using the balanced cantilever method, the bridge was built outward from the support piers until it was joined at the middle. Thick cables support the 56 eight-foot sections of concrete that make up foot and bike path.
Scott Nelson, Parsons’ senior project engineer, and senior construction manager Warren Hallam, said the builders, designers and county worked together to solve problems.
“We had a great team,” Fernandes said.
State Department of Transportation highways and local programs engineer Neil Campbell, Recreation and Conservation Office director Kaleen Cottingham and Tharinger wrapped up the dedication.
“We’re ready,” Jacobs said.
“Send ’em across.”
Vintage vehicles
One by one, a parade of vintage vehicles crossed the new bridge from the west as newer vehicles crossed from the east.
The first vehicles — a 1937 Cheverolt log truck and a 2005 log truck — crossed mid-span at 2:04 p.m.
After the parade, the dignitaries donned their scissors and took aim at a woven cedar bark ribbon that was fashioned by two members of the Lower Elwha tribe.
The ribbon was cut at 2:21 p.m.
Spectators marveled at the views of the Elwha River and the surrounding forest as they crossed the bridge for the first time.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
