HOODSPORT — Traffic slowdowns on U.S. 101 reportedly have eased late this afternoon after going-home traffic off the North Olympic Peninsula caused a backup of southbound near Hoodsport, Mason County, around midday.
The state Department of Transportation reported that holiday traffic is flowing in a normal manner on U.S. 101 southbound from Milepost 324 after Jorsted Creek Bridge to MP 331 before Hoodsport.
The reason for the earlier heavy traffic, of course, is that the Hood Canal Bridge is closed for repairs. The floating bridge won’t be back in service until early June — at the earliest.
The Department of Transportation reported a three-mile backup southbound near Hoodsport around noon, updating that report to a five-mile backup by 1:30 p.m.
Traffic on U.S. 101 has increased generally by more than 70 percent since the floating bridge was closed at 12:01 a.m. on May 1.
There were northbound backups earlier this three-day weekend in the northbound lane between Hoodsport and Brinnon. Some of the Saturday and Sunday delay was due to the volume of traffic headed to the Brinnon ShrimpFest, where flaggers were positioned along the highway.
Click here: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/trafficalerts/NorthWest.aspx for the latest information from the Department of Transportation.
