PORT ANGELES — The city of Port Angeles will open the two Eighth Street bridges on Tuesday.
Eighth Street spanning Tumwater Creek and Valley Creek has been closed for more than a year while the two 70-year-old, trestle-like bridges were replaced with concrete versions.
The bridges will open to pedestrians Tuesday morning and, after a brief ceremony, to vehicle traffic Tuesday afternoon, Teresa Pierce, Port Angeles city spokeswoman, said Friday.
Glenn Cutler, Port Angeles public works director, said the city and Parsons RCI agreed late Thursday afternoon to modify the construction contract to allow the bridges to open before Parsons’ subcontractor, Long Painting of Kent, can finish painting a sealer on the concrete structures.
That work will be done in late spring or early summer when weather is more favorable, he said.
The old Tumwater Creek bridge closed in August 2007, followed by the Valley Creek bridge in September 2007.
Demolition of the old bridges and construction of the new concrete bridges is funded with $21.6 million in state Department of Transportation grants and $3 million in city money.
The bridges were initially scheduled to open in November.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
