PORT ANGELES — Tribal and state officials continue to wait for federal officials to decide how much longer an archaeological excavation of Native American remains and artifacts at the graving yard will last.
“My hope is that we will know the FHWA’s (Federal Highway Administration) decision by the end of next week or at the beginning of the next week so we can move forward,” state Transportation Secretary Doug MacDonald said Friday in a telephone interview with Peninsula Daily News.
Lower Elwha Klallam tribal leaders say they are anxious.
“We are wasting precious time waiting,” Tribal Chairwoman Frances G. Charles said.
As the clock ticks, costs in the form of penalties to the graving yard contractor continue to mount.
Although state officials have yet to firm a figure, MacDonald last month said the amount likely to be paid to contractor Kiewit General because of the delays will be in the “tens of millions of dollars.”
The Highway Administration is involved because it is funding the vast majority of the 2007 Hood Canal Bridge east-half replacement, including the graving yard in which the components are to be built.
The original project cost estimate was $255 million, but the price is approaching $300 million.
Dispute settlement
The tribe and state in late October asked Federal Highway Administration officials to settle a dispute over how deep the excavation should be.
The federal officials said at the time they hoped to render a decision within two to three weeks.
Their decision is the first step toward resolving whether the tribe should be allowed to continue archaeological digging on the site of the Hood Canal Bridge graving yard.
The state Department of Transportation wants full construction to resume on the giant onshore dry dock for floating bridge pontoons and anchors.
But the tribe continues to find centuries-old remains and artifacts from the ancient shoreline village of Tse-whit-zen and has asked for a suspension of construction.
