PORT ANGELES — The future Eighth Street bridges will sweep across Valley and Tumwater creeks with angled supports jutting out of the ravines’ walls.
The City Council chose the simple, modern design Monday that is in sharp contrast to the aging trestles that have crossed the creeks for more than seven decades.
The “slant leg” design, which features two piers anchored on the ravine slopes, was chosen from among eight options at a special council meeting Monday afternoon.
The council also decided to keep one lane open during construction starting next year to decrease construction time and costs.
Now that the design is selected, the city staff will recommend in four to six weeks whether to build the bridges with concrete or costlier steel, City Engineer Gary Kenworthy said.
Meanwhile, the design selection must be submitted to the state Department of Transportation for its approval.
The DOT in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration is paying up to $10 million of the project, and the slant-leg design is estimated to cost $9.6 million to $12.2 million for both bridges.
