PORT ANGELES -Tumwater Truck Route, state Highway 117, will close to all traffic on Wednesday through Friday so construction can continue safely on the new concrete Tumwater Creek bridge.
The route will be closed again from Dec. 3 to Dec. 7.
The two timber trestle bridges that have towered across Tumwater and Valley creeks for about 70 years are being demolished and rebuilt as concrete spans by Parsons RCI Inc. of Sumner in a $18.4 million project.
During the closure of the Tumwater Truck Route, the roadway will be blocked on the north side of the now-demolished Tumwater Creek bridge just past the Pettit Oil Co.’s CFN card lock gas station at 605 S. Tumwater Truck Route.
On the south side of the bridge, the road will be blocked at Lauridsen Boulevard intersection.
Traffic will be rerouted to and from Marine Drive via Front, First and Lincoln Streets.
Local traffic will be able to access the south end of state Highway 117 to Lauridsen Boulevard and the north end of Highway 117 to Marine Drive.
“The closures are necessary so construction equipment can move back and forth on the road and complete drilling for one of Tumwater Creek Bridge’s concrete supports,” said city spokeswoman Teresa Pierce.
“We will make sure the roadway is opened up for the weekend,” she said.
A copy of the Tumwater Truck Route detour map is available on the city’s Web site at www.cityofpa.us/bridges.htm.
The city has developed traffic modifications to accommodate larger commercial vehicles when Tumwater Truck Route is closed, Pierce said.
Since large commercial trucks require a wider turning radius, the right turn lane at the southwest corner of First and Lincoln streets has been eliminated, she said.
That allows those large trucks headed to U.S. Highway 101 to navigate the corner safely by turning south from First Street onto Lincoln Street from the southerly right through lane, Pierce said.
It also prevents the trucks from colliding with smaller vehicles that easily could slip unnoticed into the right turn lane, she said.
The new bridges are expected to open on Nov. 1, 2008.
Each will be 47 feet wide with two 12-foot travel lanes, two five-foot bicycle lanes and two 6½-foot sidewalks, and feature two pedestrian viewpoints.
