State transportation officials and North Olympic Peninsula tourism leaders are trying to get a pulse on travelers’ use of the Hood Canal Bridge and the best time to close the floating span this year for structural work.
The state Department of Transportation and bridge contractor Kiewit General Construction Co. propose Friday through Tuesday closures Aug. 5 to Aug. 9 and Aug. 26 to Aug. 30.
But the time slots, which include weekends, conflict with high-draw events such as the 2005 Canoe Journey hosted by the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe Aug. 1-6 in Port Angeles. About 8,000 Native Americans are expected to visit the Peninsula to support the arrival of 80 canoes.
Also conflicting is Centrum’s Port Townsend Country Blues Workshop and Port Townsend Blues and Heritage Festival on July 31-Aug. 7.
That’s why questionnaires are being distributed through Peninsula chambers of commerce and the state.
Never a good time
“There is never going to be good weekend for a closure. It’s what the communities can do to mitigate the closure,” said Tim Caldwell, who passed surveys out during Monday’s Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce luncheon meeting at Fort Worden State Park.
The Olympic Peninsula Joint Marketing Group’s intent is to educate North Olympic Peninsula residents about the closures, so they can make plans accordingly and well in advance.
“We need planning time for marketing and promotion” of the bridge closure periods, Caldwell added.
The Olympic Peninsula Joint Marketing Group has recommended midweek closures to avoid an estimated $5.8 million loss in potential tourism revenue.
Caldwell and Russ Veenema, Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce executive director, have joined with the Olympic Peninsula Joint Marketing Group and state Transportation to devise and distribute surveys.
The questionnaires were also distributed at Port Angeles and Sequim chamber meetings this week.
“We want to get information from the community by the end of the month,” Caldwell said Tuesday.
